Along with agriculture, fisheries is expected to be greatly affected if Japan takes part in the TPP. Japan needs to make adequate preparations so that its fishing industry will survive and prosper under a new environment in which export of fisheries products will become important. Particularly important will be increasing the number of fishery product processing facilities whose hygienic standards will meet the standards imposed by countries importing such products from Japan.
Thirty years ago, Japan was the No. 1 fishing country with the total catch reaching 11.1 million tons, including fish raised through fish farming. But in 2011, it tumbled to the No. 8 position with the total catch falling to 4.77 million tons, or less than a half of the amount 30 years ago. Japan is now surpassed by such countries as Vietnam and the Philippines. The downtrend in the fish catch is clear, even taking into consideration the effects of the March 11, 2011, disasters that hit the coastal areas of the Tohoku region. In 2010, Japan's total fish catch was 5.31 million tons.
Japan needs to take concrete measures including fishing quotas to prevent indiscriminate catching of fish, a step necessary to make Japan's fisheries sustainable, and to provide incentives for attracting young people to the fishing industry.
For the past two decades, China has been the No. 1 fishing country, with its total catch amounting to 66.22 million tons. Noteworthy is the fact that products from fish farming make up 50.17 million tons of China's total catch.
Of the global total fish catch of 178.33 million tons, 83.73 million tons are from fish culturing. In Japan's case, catch from fish farming is 910,000 tons, only about 20 percent of the total catch.
Japan should make serious efforts to increase the export of fisheries products derived from fish farming, for which Japanese fishermen have good skills. The efforts are all the more important because the TPP will abolish tariffs and competition with other countries' fishing industry will become intense.
There is a problem. It is reported that the United States, which will be a leading member of the TPP, has a plan to make the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) food safety approach the standard for fisheries products to be exported inside the TPP zone. Because the U.S. requires every fishery product processing facility to control the safety of its products in accordance with HACCP, it's possible that Japan at first won't be able to export its fisheries products to the U.S.
According to the Fisheries Agency, only about 250 fishery product processing facilities in Japan are recognized as having met the HACCP requirements. Whether Japan participates in the TPP or not, the government must take every supportive measure to help as many of these facilities as possible meet the HACCP requirements.
(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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