But the local fishermen first need to be taught about basic health standards before the measures can be effective, says a tuna industry insider.
Recently at Tuticorin fishing harbor, a major seaport in Southern India, the Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA), the Food and Agriculture Organization and INFOFISH co-organized a workshop to teach fishermen the proper slicing technique for sashimi-grade tuna fish, which has significant export market value overseas. The workshop was titled, “Improving post-harvest practices and sustainable market development for long line fisheries for tuna and other pelagic fish species.”
Sashimi is a high-quality, Japanese delicacy that consists of thinly sliced raw meat, usually fish. Traditionally, the fish should be processed – paralyzed and bled – as soon as it is caught and then stored immediately in slurried ice to maximize its quality for raw consumption.
Tuna intended for sashimi exports must therefore be caught using pole-and-line, handline of longlining since India’s artisanal fisheries predominantly use drifting gillnets, which substantially increase the level of dangerous histamines in the fish as they can be dragged in the warm ocean water for hours before they are landed on board. The concentration of histamines in raw tuna directly increases with its rising body temperature, so the material must be stored immediately in ice to avoid this health hazard.
For this reason, MPEDA plans to outfit the fishing harbor with a new flake ice making unit and two storage units to cater to the vessels. The government agency will also be offering a complete subsidy to vessels building an ice crusher facility to store ice in their fish hold areas.
While the freshness of ice can be maintained with these initiatives, there have been past incidents of fishermen dumping the ice at sea to increase the fish holding area as their catches improve.
Western companies say the local fishermen in India have little knowledge of clean, fish-handling practices on board because they are used to selling their catches to the local market, which does not demand quality assurances. The majority lack a sense of responsibility and often, paperwork is not kept up to date.
Before investing in sashimi, the government should first focus on changing the mentality of fishermen and especially hiring experts to supervise their work, says the industry insider. He says the new measures are “useless” until the fishermen care about the food safety and health risks involved, and are motivated by the commercial benefits of delivering a high quality and hygienic product.
MPEDA will also offer 50% subsidies for refrigerated sea water systems, fish finder instruments, global positioning systems and radio signal instruments. All mechanized fishing vessels equipped with chemical septic tank toilets will also be subsidized by 50%.
During the month of July the major Indian Exporter of fresh and frozen tuna Moon Fisheries Pvt Ltd from Cochin was linked in the USA to 425 cases of salmonella poisoning of their raw tuna product, sold as sushi or nakaochi scrape. 55 persons had to be hospitalized.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On the afternoon of March 19, Vice Chairman of the Ca Mau Provincial People’s Committee, Le Van Su, chaired a meeting to address bottlenecks and propose solutions to expand the super-intensive whiteleg shrimp farming model using low water exchange and high biosecurity standards (RAS-IMTA).
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On March 10, 2026, the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee issued Decision No. 1377/QD-UBND approving the Aquatic Animal Disease Prevention and Control Plan for the 2026–2030 period. The decision takes effect from the date of signing and replaces previous plans for the 2021–2030 period that had been issued prior to the administrative merger in Ba Ria – Vung Tau, Binh Duong, and Ho Chi Minh City.
(vasep.com.vn) In 2025, Chile imported more than USD 156 million worth of tuna, up 8.1% compared to the previous year and the highest level in the past five years. As the supply structure in this market is rapidly shifting, Vietnamese tuna is facing both opportunities to expand market share and increasing competitive pressure from Thailand, Colombia, and China.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vinh Long Province is stepping up efforts to develop brackish water shrimp farming in a sustainable direction, identifying it as a key sector in its agricultural structure. In 2026, the province aims to reach around 71,300 hectares of shrimp farming, with an output of over 314,000 tons.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Ha Tinh Province is strengthening control over shrimp seed quality to minimize risks for the 2026 spring–summer farming season.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In February 2026, Vietnam’s pangasius exports reached USD 119 million, down slightly 5% year-on-year. However, thanks to strong performance in January, cumulative exports in the first two months of the year still reached USD 331 million, up 28% compared to the same period in 2025. Export activity slowed somewhat in February due to seasonal factors, particularly the Lunar New Year holiday, which disrupted production and shipments at many seafood processing enterprises.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Da Nang is accelerating the development of high-tech shrimp farming toward intensive production, disease control, and improved efficiency. Many shrimp farms have invested in automated environmental monitoring systems, continuously tracking indicators such as pH, dissolved oxygen, temperature, and salinity, enabling farmers to promptly adjust pond conditions and reduce disease risks.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The year 2025 is considered a turning point for Vietnam’s shrimp seed industry as the sector faces the need for strong transformation in technology, production management, and gradual self-sufficiency in broodstock supply. These factors are seen as key to improving seed quality and strengthening the competitiveness of the shrimp industry amid increasingly demanding market requirements.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In February 2026, Vietnam’s shrimp exports reached nearly USD 310 million, up 17% year-on-year. Cumulatively for the first two months of the year, shrimp export value totaled USD 690 million, an increase of 20% compared with the same period last year. Compared with the 22% growth recorded in January, the pace of increase in February slowed somewhat, reflecting seasonal factors as the Lunar New Year holiday partially disrupted processing and shipment activities. Nevertheless, the nearly 20% growth in the first two months indicates that shrimp orders from Vietnam are maintaining a more positive trend than in the same period last year.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) According to the latest statistics for January 2026, Vietnam’s pangasius export value to major market blocs recorded encouraging growth compared with the same period last year, indicating that consumption demand is gradually recovering.
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