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 Report on Vietnam Pangasius Sector 2015–2024, produced and released by the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) in January 2025, is expected to provide enterprises, importers, and government agencies with a comprehensive overview of key developments in Vietnam's pangasius production and export over the past decade. In addition to highlighting achievements, the report identifies existing challenges and analyzes future opportunities and threats for the pangasius industry.
(vasep.com.vn) Overcoming two years of fluctuation in both export markets and domestic production, Vietnam's pangasius industry has demonstrated resilience, adaptability, and a strong determination to seize opportunities and boost exports to various markets. As a result, in 2024, pangasius exports reached USD 2 billion, a 9% increase compared to 2023. This achievement is a source of pride for Vietnam's aquaculture and agriculture sectors.
(seafood.vasep.com) Speaking at a conference to implement the 2025 plan of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh urged the agricultural sector to strive for a total export turnover of agricultural, forestry, and fishery products reaching $70 billion by 2025.
With robust production and processing infrastructure, combined with continuous market development efforts, Vietnam’s seafood exports are poised for 10–15% growth in 2025.
In 2025, seafood exports are expected to continue to grow better and could reach 11 billion USD as in 2022. However, this is also the year the seafood industry will face challenges, including increased competition from other countries, trade wars and market barriers...
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On the afternoon of December 25, at Toan Thinh Conference Center (Soc Trang City), the Soc Trang Fisheries Sub-department, under the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Soc Trang, held a conference to review the 2024 aquaculture activities and outline the brackish water shrimp farming plan for 2025. The event was attended by Ms. Quach Thi Thanh Binh, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Soc Trang.
The Mekong Delta province of Soc Trang aims to achieve export value of over 1.9 billion USD in 2025 by boosting production and processing of key products such as seafood, high-quality rice, fruits, and garments.
The UK-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement has significantly boosted Vietnamese seafood exports, with shrimp and pangasius leading the charge in the UK market.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In November 2024, Vietnam's tuna exports failed to maintain the rapid growth momentum seen earlier. Export value during the month increased by nearly 4% year-on-year, reaching approximately USD 82 million. Cumulatively, the export value for the first 11 months of 2024 totaled USD 903 million, a 17% increase compared to the same period in 2023. However, at this growth rate, the total export turnover for 2024 is estimated to only reach around USD 1 billion.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On the evening of December 24, 2024, in Hanoi, the Central Youth Union, Viet nam Youth Federation and the Vietnam Young Entrepreneurs Association held the Vietnam Golden Star Award Ceremony 2024, with the theme "Reaching Vietnam", honoring 200 outstanding enterprises. Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Hoa Binh attended.
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