There are more and more pangasius processing and export companies receiving quality certificates like Best Aquaculture Pratices (BAP), Good Aquaculture Pratices (GlobalGAP), Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC)…In which, ASC is the newest standard applied by Vietnam pangasius industry. This is an accreditation, certification and products-labeling program for responsibly farmed-pangasius. With ASC certificate, Vietnam pangasius industry may strengthen competitiveness and keep its shares in traditional and potential markets where importers and consumers are more interested in quality and product value.
The ASC standards have main 7 principles including: respecting established local and national legal frameworks; strengthening management to avoid negative impacts on other users and the environment; minimizing negative impacts of pangasius farming on water and land resources; minimizing impact of pangasius aquaculture on the local pangasius populations; sustainable feed and feeding practices; minimizing ecosystem and human health impacts; social responsibility. To social responsibility, ASC standard focuses on two requirements (including labors’ age and their health and safety); and responsibility for local communities.
However, many fish producers shared that they were confused even at the first step of ASC standards applying. Some ASC’s information and guidelines are not adequate to conditions in Vietnam. For example, the criteria on pond effluent management in minimizing negative impact on water resources. ASC-applying farms are subjected to the wastewater tax while Vietnam has not set rules on this issue yet. Moreover, they need licence issued by Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (MONRE) if discharging 5,000 cubic meter of waste water per day referring to the government’s Decree No.149/2004 and MONRE’s Circular No.02/2005. This caused waste of time and money.
Vietnam’s guidelines to list and protect local endangered aquatic species are also confusing and incoherent among localities, withdrawing concerns of farm operators. To solve the obstacle, WWF Vietnam has working in cooperation with Can Tho University to conduct a study and build up database on Red List of endangered species and IUCN for Mekong Delta region. Local fish farm’s environmental technicians and experts can base on these data to revise the farming chain to satisfy ASC’s criteria at reasonable cost.
It is also unrealizable to use the Kjeldahl method complying with ISO 17025 to assess testing laboratories in Vietnam because none of laboratories knows about the method. To this current difficult, WWF Vietnam suggested sampling and testing laboratory under ISO 17025, and then auditors would base on testing results to decide to use Kjeldahl or not. Some laboratories in Vietnam begin to register to be granted ISO 17025 certification for Kjeldahl method.
(vasep.com.vn) VASEP has officially announced the program for Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026 (VSS 2026), featuring five in-depth sessions covering industry outlooks, trade barriers, buyer demand, the domestic market, and solutions to improve productivity and reduce costs across the seafood value chain.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s shrimp exports reached US$3.7 billion in the first nine months of 2026, up 11% year on year. Although growth has been supported by China and several markets within the CPTPP, momentum is slowing as exports to the United States and the European Union decline. Tariff pressures, international competition, and raw material challenges are creating significant hurdles for exporters in the final months of the year.
(vasep.com.vn) Markets are changing faster, buyer requirements are becoming more demanding, and trade barriers are growing increasingly complex. In this environment, seafood businesses need more than an understanding of current market conditions. They need a longer-term perspective to answer a critical question: Where will growth opportunities come from in 2027–2029, and what should businesses do now to prepare? This is one of the key reasons why VASEP is organizing Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026.
(vasep.com.vn) In the first eight months of 2026, Vietnam’s pangasius exports to the Middle East reached US$113 million, up 7% year on year from the same period in 2025. Growth has become more pronounced in recent months. In August alone, exports to the region totaled US$20 million, an increase of 24%. This indicates that demand for Vietnamese pangasius in the Middle East is gradually recovering after a slowdown in March, although the pace of recovery varies across markets.
(vasep.com.vn) China’s shrimp imports continued to grow strongly in 2026, while Vietnam’s shrimp exports to the market also recorded notable growth. However, behind these positive figures lie two distinct trends: Chinese consumption is growing more slowly than imports, and lobster accounts for a substantial share of Vietnam’s shrimp exports to China, making its product mix significantly different from those of Ecuador and India. Exporters therefore need to assess each segment carefully to understand the opportunities and risks.
(vasep.com.vn) Changing markets, shifting buyer demand, and increasingly complex trade barriers are raising a key question for Vietnam’s seafood industry: Where will the new growth opportunities lie in 2027–2029?
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) As of the end of August 2026, Vietnam’s tilapia exports to the United States reached $21 million, representing a steep 48% year-over-year decline and accounting for 23% of the country's total tilapia export turnover. Frozen fillets accounted for 78% with the remainder consisting of whole frozen tilapia and frozen cuts.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) After a volatile first half of the year, Vietnam’s pangasius exports to Brazil registered robust growth in July and August 2026. In August alone, export turnover reached $19 million, surging 73% compared to the same period in 2025. Cumulatively for the first eight months, total export value reached $124 million, reflecting an 8% year-over-year increase.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Besides modifying their boats, many fishermen in Dak Lak province are making efforts to venture out to sea to harvest seafood during the rough sea season.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) At the Responsible Seafood Summit and TCRS Shrimp Summit 2026, organized by the GSA (Global Seafood Alliance) in Bangkok, Thailand, the conversation about the future of the shrimp industry began with one of its most important foundations: seedstock quality.
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