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) Vietnam’s pangasius industry is facing new opportunities to expand its development space as many localities and businesses begin promoting marine farming models aimed at diversifying farming areas and adapting to climate change. However, for pangasius to truly “go offshore” and develop into a large-scale industry segment, significant challenges related to technology, broodstock, and markets still need to be addressed.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tilapia exports in April 2026 reached USD 11 million, up 92% compared to the same period in 2025. This strong growth indicates that Vietnamese tilapia products are continuing to penetrate and expand rapidly in international markets. Cumulative export turnover in the first four months of 2026 reached USD 49 million, up 151% year-on-year.
(seafood.vasep.com) At VietShrimp Asia 2026, disease management trends in shrimp farming are shifting strongly from treatment-based approaches toward proactive prevention through environmental and pond ecosystem control.
(vasep.com.vn) After a period of strong growth, with export turnover reaching USD 38 million in Q1/2026 — up 174% year-on-year — the sector’s rapid expansion clearly reflects growing market opportunities.
(vasep.com.vn) In the first quarter of 2026, Vietnam’s pangasius exports to the ASEAN bloc reached USD 44 million, up 7% compared to the same period in 2025. After falling to the lowest level of the quarter at USD 9 million in February — reflecting the seasonal slowdown in orders after the festive period — exports recovered strongly to USD 18 million in March, the highest monthly value of the quarter. This development shows that import demand for pangasius in ASEAN remains relatively stable despite short-term fluctuations.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On May 11, 2026, the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced a positive comparability finding for Vietnam’s swimming crab fisheries, along with those of Indonesia and Sri Lanka, under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). With this decision, seafood and seafood products harvested from Vietnam’s swimming crab fisheries will continue to be eligible for import into the US market.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) After a slowdown in 2025, Vietnam’s tuna exports to Germany showed more positive signs in the first quarter of 2026. However, the recovery remains uncertain as consumer demand in Germany is still cautious, while market competition is increasingly driven by pricing and supply stability.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) After a sharp decline in 2025, Vietnam’s tuna exports to Israel are showing positive signs of recovery in the early months of 2026. According to Vietnam Customs data, export turnover to this market grew steadily month by month in Q1/2026, reaching nearly USD 10 million, up 33% compared to the same period in 2025. However, compared to Q1/2024, this level remains significantly lower, indicating that the recovery is still in its early stage following last year’s strong adjustment.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Entering 2026, the U.S. whitefish market has shown complex developments as global cod supply continues to tighten, while the U.S. trade environment becomes less stable. In this context, the U.S. market has had to become more flexible in sourcing alternative whitefish. However, relying heavily on Alaska pollock is not a long-term solution, as it is a strictly managed fishery with quotas and sustainability regulations, limiting any rapid increase in output to offset cod shortages.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Aquaculture, capture fisheries, and seed production activities in Lam Dong in the early months of 2026 continued to show positive signs, with both output and farming area slightly increasing compared to the same period, contributing to maintaining overall industry stability.
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