After 2 years of EU’s warning of yellow card for Vietnam's caught marine products, Vietnam's marine product export to EU market has been remarkably affected, down 6.5% to nearly 390 million USD in 2018 and continued to level off in the first 8 months of 2019 with 251 million USD. From the second position in Vietnam's seafood import markets, after the yellow card, the EU has dropped to fifth and the proportion of the market has decreased from 18% to 13%.
Recognizing the negative impacts of the IUU yellow card on Vietnam's seafood exports to the EU market and the prestige of Vietnamese seafood products on the world market, identifying the need for sustainable development of the seafood industry, on September 25, 2017, the VASEP Marine Product Committee (VMPC) and Vietnam marine product processing and export enterprises organized the conference " Marine product Enterprises’ Commitment to Combating IUU Fishing". At the conference, the IUU Executive Board was launched, announcing commitments to combating IUU fishing with participation of 62 marine product enterprises and the program's action plan was approved.
After 2 years of persistence with the goal of removing the yellow card and for sustainable development of Vietnam's fisheries, Vietnamese seafood enterprises have been very active in the program's activities: simultaneously hung the board of commitments to combating IUU fishing (in bilingual English-Vietnamese) at the company gates or doors of processing plants, purchase raw materials sourced from legal fishing vessels with clear traceability and only import legally caught seafood, complies with the provisions of the US, EU and Vietnam to combat IUU fishing, participate in seminars, training, propaganda and communication on IUU fishing.
VMPC, VASEP’s IUU Steering Board and enterprises have actively cooperated with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Directorate of Fisheries, relevant agencies and localities to implement the recommendations of the EU, reflecting the most in joining, proposing, commenting on amendmemd and completion of the legal framework such as the new Fisheries Law, the Decree guiding the Fisheries Law, the Circular 36/2018/TT-BNNPTNT amending the Circular 26/2016/TT-BNNPTNT, Circular 21/2018/TT-BNNPTNT amending Circular 26, Circular 02/2018/TT-BNNPTNT and Circular 36/2018/TT-BNNPTNT related to catch statement (SC) and catch certification (CC) of wild-caught seafood products, quarantine of imported seafood ... The Circular announcing the list of ports assigned to make SC for wild-caught seafood raw materials ...
The Association sent documents to the Prime Minister, Chairman of the National Assembly, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development reporting and proposing the contents of actions to combat IUU fishing, recomending and proposing for Action Plan to remove IUU yellow card.
Also, VASEP has coordinated and cooperated closely with the parties such as the Coast Guard Command, with relevant ministries and international organizations in the communication and training activities on IUU combating for enterprises and fishermen. In particular, VASEP always maintains a good cooperative relationship with the EC to report and share information about Vietnam's efforts in combating IUU fishing.
In addition to organizing conferences, seminars, training, meetings to communicate and propagandize about Vietnam’s efforts to combat IUU fishing, setting a colum of combating IUU fishing on website: vasep.com.vn, VASEP has widely published publications in Vietnamese and English on combating IUU fishing to the community of business, fishermen, management agencies, and domestic and foreign stakeholders, including:
- White Book on combating IUU fishing in Vietnam
- Map: “Location of the sustainable supply of Vietnamese marine products and tuna in the commitment to combat IUU fishing”
- Posters to propagate ship owners and fishmen to implement regulations under Fisheries Law 2017
In particular, VASEP has collaborated with D-Fish, VTV and other media agencies to make a video clip to propagate ship owners and fishmen to do obligative activities under Fisheries Law 2017, transmitted by more than 30 media agencies and got nearly 800 shares on Facebook and website.
The main activities of the Program "Marine product Enterprises’ Commitment to Combating IUU Fishing" will be consistently and strongly implemented in coming time: strictly implement the commitments and regulations against IUU fishing, make proposals and recommendations for legal documents, reflect and propose to remove obstacles in exporting seafood to the EU, strengthen cooperation with relevant parties in the marine supply chain and promote international relations, intensify communication on VASEP information channels and mass media.
After 2 years of implementing the program, VASEP and Vietnam marine product enterprises pledge to work closely and continuously with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, state management agencies and fishermen community with the motto of "Say NO to IUU". We will determine on developing sustainable fisheries and maintaining importing markets of Vietnamese seafood products.
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VASEP MARINE PRODUCT COMMITTEE (VMPC)
IUU Task Force of VASEP
Email: combat_iuu@vasep.com.vn
Hotline : +84 243.7715055 (ext:204) và +84.982195872
Website: http://vasep.com.vn/1454/Tin-Tuc/Chong-khai-thac-IUU.htm
http://seafood.vasep.com.vn/747/whybuy/combat-iuu-fishing.htm
Facebook: VASEP_Combat IUU
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On the afternoon of March 19, Vice Chairman of the Ca Mau Provincial People’s Committee, Le Van Su, chaired a meeting to address bottlenecks and propose solutions to expand the super-intensive whiteleg shrimp farming model using low water exchange and high biosecurity standards (RAS-IMTA).
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On March 10, 2026, the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee issued Decision No. 1377/QD-UBND approving the Aquatic Animal Disease Prevention and Control Plan for the 2026–2030 period. The decision takes effect from the date of signing and replaces previous plans for the 2021–2030 period that had been issued prior to the administrative merger in Ba Ria – Vung Tau, Binh Duong, and Ho Chi Minh City.
(vasep.com.vn) In 2025, Chile imported more than USD 156 million worth of tuna, up 8.1% compared to the previous year and the highest level in the past five years. As the supply structure in this market is rapidly shifting, Vietnamese tuna is facing both opportunities to expand market share and increasing competitive pressure from Thailand, Colombia, and China.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vinh Long Province is stepping up efforts to develop brackish water shrimp farming in a sustainable direction, identifying it as a key sector in its agricultural structure. In 2026, the province aims to reach around 71,300 hectares of shrimp farming, with an output of over 314,000 tons.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Ha Tinh Province is strengthening control over shrimp seed quality to minimize risks for the 2026 spring–summer farming season.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In February 2026, Vietnam’s pangasius exports reached USD 119 million, down slightly 5% year-on-year. However, thanks to strong performance in January, cumulative exports in the first two months of the year still reached USD 331 million, up 28% compared to the same period in 2025. Export activity slowed somewhat in February due to seasonal factors, particularly the Lunar New Year holiday, which disrupted production and shipments at many seafood processing enterprises.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Da Nang is accelerating the development of high-tech shrimp farming toward intensive production, disease control, and improved efficiency. Many shrimp farms have invested in automated environmental monitoring systems, continuously tracking indicators such as pH, dissolved oxygen, temperature, and salinity, enabling farmers to promptly adjust pond conditions and reduce disease risks.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The year 2025 is considered a turning point for Vietnam’s shrimp seed industry as the sector faces the need for strong transformation in technology, production management, and gradual self-sufficiency in broodstock supply. These factors are seen as key to improving seed quality and strengthening the competitiveness of the shrimp industry amid increasingly demanding market requirements.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In February 2026, Vietnam’s shrimp exports reached nearly USD 310 million, up 17% year-on-year. Cumulatively for the first two months of the year, shrimp export value totaled USD 690 million, an increase of 20% compared with the same period last year. Compared with the 22% growth recorded in January, the pace of increase in February slowed somewhat, reflecting seasonal factors as the Lunar New Year holiday partially disrupted processing and shipment activities. Nevertheless, the nearly 20% growth in the first two months indicates that shrimp orders from Vietnam are maintaining a more positive trend than in the same period last year.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) According to the latest statistics for January 2026, Vietnam’s pangasius export value to major market blocs recorded encouraging growth compared with the same period last year, indicating that consumption demand is gradually recovering.
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
Đơn vị vận hành trang tin điện tử: Trung tâm VASEP.PRO
Trưởng Ban Biên tập: Bà Phùng Thị Kim Thu
Giấy phép hoạt động Trang thông tin điện tử tổng hợp số 138/GP-TTĐT, ngày 01/10/2013 của Bộ Thông tin và Truyền thông
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