The three authorities decided to take joint countermeasures to protect Nihon unagi, or Japanese eel, for their mutual benefit. Japan, which is a major eel consumer, imports 60 percent of its supply of the fish from China and Taiwan.
As eel catches have been dwindling, they decided to work together to secure a stable supply in the future.
According to a plan agreed upon by executives of the three fishing authorities in December, they will share by May precise data on fishery yields, the amount of farmed eel produced and trade volumes.
The agencies also plan to build a "traceability system" in about two years to track global eel distribution routes in an effort to analyze the overfishing situation.
The United States had considered submitting a proposal for an international trade regulation on eel catches at a conference on the Washington Convention, also known as the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), this March. Though it eventually decided against the proposal, calls for stricter regulation may start to be heard across the world if poor eel catches continue.
Low catches boost eel prices in Taiwan
The government is on the lookout for people trying to smuggle young eels out of the country as prices surge globally because of declining catches.
Eel stocks are being depleted around the world and catches of wild elvers, known as glass eels because of their transparent bodies, are rapidly declining in Asia, down from 41 tonnes to 25.2 tonnes in the last three years, according to data compiled by the Fisheries Agency.
In the same period, Taiwan’s catches have plunged to below 1 tonne per year, while prices surged to about NT$100 per eel last year, up from NT$10 per eel two decades ago.
The fishery officials also said they had approached Japanese and Chinese officials in September and this month to explore the possibility of cooperating in managing and recovering eel stocks under the APEC framework.
The officials said that Japan, which boasts a thriving eel-farming industry, is trying to raise glass eels in captivity to reduce their reliance on wild catches, and has succeeded in a few cases.
Taiwan does not have the technology required to cultivate the eels, the officials said.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The year 2025 marked a pivotal milestone for Vietnam’s seafood industry in its restructuring process toward sustainability, transparency, and higher value creation, amid continued uncertainties in the global economic and trade environment. Prolonged inflation in major economies, the rising trend of trade protectionism, and increasingly stringent requirements related to environmental standards, traceability, and social responsibility have posed significant challenges to seafood production and exports. Nevertheless, overcoming these pressures, Vietnam’s seafood sector has gradually demonstrated its adaptability, maintained growth momentum, and laid an important foundation for the next stage of development.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Amid the increasingly evident impacts of drought and saltwater intrusion, the shrimp-rice production model in Ca Mau province continues to prove itself as a viable direction, contributing to higher farmer incomes, improved soil conditions and the promotion of ecological and sustainable agricultural development.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The management of fishing vessels, monitoring of fishing activities, and handling of violations in the fisheries sector in Lam Dong province have continued to be implemented in a synchronized and stringent manner, contributing to raising awareness of legal compliance among fishermen and aiming to end illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Can Tho’s fishery industry sustained steady growth in 2025 with total aquatic and marine output reaching nearly 783,000 tons, fulfilling 100% of the annual target. Aquaculture, capture fisheries and fishing fleet management were further strengthened, aiming for sustainable development in the coming years.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In 2025, Vietnam’s pangasius export turnover reached nearly USD 2.2 billion, up 8% year-on-year. This result indicates that pangasius exports maintained their growth momentum despite significant volatility in the global market environment. In December 2025, pangasius export value reached USD 200 million, up 10% compared to December 2024. This solid performance in the final month of the year reflects increased import demand for consumption and inventory replenishment in key markets.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In 2025, Vietnam’s tuna exports to Spain experienced significant fluctuations. According to Vietnam Customs, during the first 11 months of 2025, export turnover for the first 11 months of the year edged up by 0.3% year-on-year, reaching nearly $15 million.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Deputy Prime Minister Bui Thanh Son has signed Decision No. 16/QD-TTg, dated January 5, 2026, approving the implementation plan for the Vietnam-Israel Free Trade Agreement (VIFTA). Under the plan, in the coming period, ministries, ministerial-level agencies, government-affiliated entities and People’s Committees of provinces and centrally-run cities must institutionalize and execute tasks focused on the dissemination of information regarding VIFTA and the Israeli market; legislative and institutional development, as well as enhancing competitiveness and human resource growth...
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Beyond achieving double-digit growth, Vietnam’s fish cake and surimi exports are showing a notable year-end "inflection point": the EU his accelerating with nearly twofold growth, China & Hong Kong are rising sharply, while the largest market, South Korea, signaled a slowdown in November. According to Vietnam Customs data, export turnover of fish cake and surimi reached $327 million in the first 11 months of 2025, up 22% year-on-year; November 2025 alone accounted for $35 million, marking a 5% increase. This serves as a critical foundation for exporters to reassess market structures and competitive intensity while finalizing order strategies for 2026.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Ca Mau, widely regarded as the nation’s “shrimp capital”, continued its strong performance in 2025 as shrimp output reached nearly 600,000 tons, maintaining its position as Vietnam’s leading shrimp-producing locality.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On December 29, 2025, at the 2025 Pangasius Industry Review Conference held in Can Tho City, the Vietnam Pangasius Association announced that fingerling prices have surged to record levels due to acute supply shortages.
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