The meeting, with officials from the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) and seafood export firms, was held after the country was last month served with a yellow card warning by the EU for failing to progress in fighting IUU (illegal, unreported and unregulated) fishing.
Nguyen Hoai Nam, deputy secretary general of VASEP, said his association’s IUU working group did a study of fisheries management, the process of issuing fishing licences in three key central fishing areas, Da Nang city and the provinces of Khanh Hoa and Binh Thuan.
VASEP has recommended that the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development should establish a national IUU working group and organise a national conference to discuss the yellow card and take action to avoid a red card, which is imminent in six months in the absence of improvement, he said.
VASEP said its review, which includes the EU’s recommendations, would be considered to draft amendments to the Fisheries Law.
These include making it mandatory for fishing vessels to use equipment like cameras to record data during their fishing trips, he said.
VASEP would issue a White Book on the IUU programme indicating Vietnam’s efforts to improve its fisheries management, he said.
It would also get foreign experts to make recommendations for improvement, he added.
Nguyen Thi Thu Sac, chairwoman of VASEP’s Marine Product Committee, said there is not much time left before the six months lapse, and hoped the country can avoid the red card, which would preclude fisheries exports to the EU.
Ferrer appreciated VASEP’s efforts and said the EU’s warning would help Vietnam improve its systems ahead of the proposed bilateral free trade agreement (EVFTA).
The country could learn good fisheries management from the Philippines and Thailand, she said.
Vietnam has favourable geographical conditions to develop its seafood industry with its long coastline of over 3,260 km and more than 3,000 islands and islets.
Fisheries is a key sector whose output has been consistently rising in recent years.
The country hopes to become a leading seafood exporter by 2020.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the first six months of 2026, Ha Tinh province continued to implement comprehensive solutions to combat IUU fishing; strictly manage the fishing fleet, control fishing vessels entering and leaving ports, operate vessel tracking devices, trace the origin of seafood, and severely punish violations.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam's tilapia exports reached USD 7 million in June 2026, down 32% compared with the same month in 2025. Nevertheless, thanks to strong growth in the first five months of the year, cumulative tilapia exports in the first half of 2026 totaled USD 69 million, up 67% year on year.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Sa Giang Import-Export Joint Stock Company, a member of the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), has been honored with the "Famous Brand - Competitive Vietnamese Brand 2026" certification at an award ceremony organized by the Vietnam Intellectual Property Association (VIPA).
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) China imported nearly $1.4 billion worth of Vietnamese seafood in the first half of the year, a 40% increase compared to the same period last year, surpassing the US to become the largest export market for the industry.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) As part of Vietfish 2026, the International Seafood Hosted Buyer Program has been designed as a dedicated B2B matchmaking initiative for selected international buyers. The program provides opportunities to meet directly with Vietnamese seafood companies, gain market insights, and experience Vietnam's seafood supply chain firsthand.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) A Story from Cà Mau’s Coast It’s 5 AM in Cà Mau. Minh, a third-generation fisherman, is ready to set sail. But unlike his father and grandfather, his boat no longer runs on an old diesel engine that burns fuel and clouds the sky with smoke. Instead, it’s powered by a hybrid engine that saves 40% fuel—funded by an ESG program from a major seafood exporter.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam's pangasius industry is shifting its focus from increasing production volume to enhancing value-added products in order to meet the increasingly stringent requirements of export markets. In An Giang Province—the country's leading hub for pangasius farming and processing—businesses and farmers are prioritizing product quality, traceability, food safety, and sustainable development rather than expanding output.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Following strong growth in 2025, Vietnam’s tuna exports to Sweden continued to edge higher during the first five months of 2026. However, the picture is far from straightforward. Orders have fluctuated significantly from month to month, indicating that this market remains cautious, with purchasing decisions closely tied to actual demand and the import cycles of Nordic distributors rather than to a steady upward trend.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) China’s shrimp imports in the first five months of 2026 continued to surpass the same period in 2025, indicating that demand in the world’s largest seafood-consuming market remains strong. However, behind the growth figures lies an increasingly competitive landscape: Ecuador dominates the competitively priced whiteleg shrimp segment, India remains the second-largest supplier, while Vietnam stands out in the lobster segment but still needs to strengthen its advantages through quality, traceability, and reliable supply.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Lobster exports to China continued to surge in the first half of this year, putting the lobster industry on the verge of reaching an export value exceeding $1 billion.
VASEP - HIỆP HỘI CHẾ BIẾN VÀ XUẤT KHẨU THỦY SẢN VIỆT NAM
Chịu trách nhiệm: Ông Nguyễn Hoài Nam - Phó Tổng thư ký Hiệp hội
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