The Japanese and the Russian governments will conclude a bilateral agreement on the prevention of crab poaching in the Russian waters in the Sea of Okhotsk, including the areas around the four disputed northern islands for which Japan claims its territorial rights, it was learned on August 25. The pact is aimed at holding in check the declining trend of crab stocks by overexploitation.
The agreement, due to be formally signed at the Japan-Russia summit meeting scheduled for next month in Vladivostok next month, purports that Moscow will issue certificates on fishing areas and quantities in exporting crab to Japan, while the Japanese government will authorize traders to import the crab after confirming the legitimacy of the crab at its customs office in a bid to prevent distribution of poached crab in the Japanese market.
The two governments are now working on finalizing the agreement including prevention of falsification of the certificates, using for reference the case of the imports of tuna – a species for which there is concern about possible depletion.
According to the Japanese competent offices, including the Foreign Ministry and the Fisheries Agency, the Russian government establishes the catch quota for crab in the Russian Far East area from the Kamchatka Peninsula to the area around Sakhalin--about 46,000 tons 2012--and permits the catch by the duly authorized fishing vessels. In spite of this regulation, however, illegal catch of crab has not been halted.
In 2011, Japan imported 32,731 tons of king crab and snow crab from Russia, but in reality there has been no way to identify whether or not the crab was caught illegally.
A Hokkaido seafood trader points out that the crab actually imported to Japan could amount to about twice or three times larger than legitimate volumes.
Russian crab account for about 40% of overall crab distributed in Japan, and market participants believe that the new agreement might most likely affect the supply and prices of crab in Japan.
At their Foreign Ministers' meeting later in July, the two countries agreed on improving the environment over the bilateral talks on the territorial issue by accumulating cooperation in the areas of national security and economy. Informed sources note that the crab agreement came fully in line with this move.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Da Nang City has fully implemented all recommendations from the European Commission (EC) regarding the fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, creating an important foundation for the removal of the “yellow card” in the near future.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In Hoa Vang district (Da Nang City), red tilapia farming is demonstrating clear economic efficiency, becoming a promising livelihood that helps many households increase their income. A notable example is the model of Mr. Huynh Ngoc Nam, who operates two red tilapia ponds covering more than 4 hectares, generating stable annual income.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In Gia Vien district, tilapia farming—particularly the “duong nghiep” strain—is expanding rapidly and gradually becoming an efficient production model for local farmers. Hatcheries in the area are supplying high-quality, uniform, and disease-free fingerlings, meeting the growing demand for commercial farming.
(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.
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