Buyers in Europe have high inventories of Alaska pollock and US fishing companies -- which are out catching their Marine Stewardship Council (MSC)-certified fish in the A-season at the moment – have high stock levels, sources told IntraFish.
“I believe US sellers have a lot of stock on their hands which makes them put pressure on price,” said Dmitry Fedotov, founder of Superocean, a Hong Kong based supplier with access to around 80,000 metric tons of Alaska pollock in Russia.
“Rumors are that they are offering Alaska pollock blocks at $3,150 (€2,355) per metric ton,” he told IntraFish.
A buyer at a large European processing firm said he had also seen this price level. “I have heard that, but it depends on the selling terms and the quality,” he said.
$3,200 (€2,393) is a more realist level for frozen-at-sea pollock from the US, while some of the land-frozen pollock from the US is down at $3,150 (€2,355), he said.
However, neither executive feels the price will drop below $3,000 (€2,243).
A European trader is more bullish.
“I have not heard of $3,100 (€2,318) -- I think the general price is around $3,300 (€2,468) to $3,400 (€2,542) at the moment but sales are sporadic,” he told IntraFish. “I think lots of buyers are holding back until Boston seafood show to see if prices are going up or down.”
It will be “interesting to see where we land,” he said.
Russian prices down
Prices for headed and gutted (H&G) pollock from Russian to China are also down at $1,350 (€1,010), said Fedotov.
“Buyers in China are saying that they have lots of stock, but companies are still buying,” he said. “I have sold roughly 3,600 metric tons of H&G pollock into Chinese plants over the last week and a half.”
The Chinese message of high stocks could be a message in the lead up to Boston, in order to drive down US prices and compete on prices, he said. “Maybe the Chinese are playing the game in the lead up to Boston, which promises to be very interesting.”
Frank Zhou, an executive with Chinese processor Ocean One Enterprise, said prices have fallen further, to the $1,300 (€972.1) level.
“Demand is very low from the EU and the United States, especially EU,” he said. “Chinese plants here have big inventories. Many have to stop processing, since their cold storages are full with finished
products. Not many plants want to buy pollock now.”
The weak euro is also a factor, which means costs for EU customers are almost 10 percent higher, he said.
“Single frozen pollock products are sold at low prices, very close to twice frozen, which has caused many customers turn to buy single frozen instead.”
Price fall normal
It is normal that the prices fall this time of year, said Daniel Lin, an executive who has set up his own company, Ocean Kingdom Seafood, to supply wild-caught frozen at sea fish to the processing industry and wholesalers.
“It’s normal that the price falls from $1670 (€1,249) to $1350 (€1,010) per metric ton -- for H&G, 25+ centimeters -- from January to February, every year this thing happens,” he said.
“Unlike cod or other high-value species -- bought as spot against customer orders -- pollock is a species processing plants can buy in advance and corner as inventory,” he said.
Most Chinese processing plants buy pollock to a set plan, said Lin.
This involves buying 70 percent of annual demand in February to April, because there is a catch of around 100,000 metric tons in the Sea of Okhotsk.
Then, they buy the rest of the demand in November up to January, before the Chinese New Year festival. “Therefore, in January and February, there is very little trading. That causes the price falls dramatically.”
(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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