But ready-prepared seafood, fresh salmon and pre-packed portions offer clear opportunities for seafood players.
In general, sales of fresh fish are tipping slightly downward, but due to the French consumer's enduring appetite for fresh salmon, in the last 12 months up until the end August, sales of fresh fish rose by 3 percent. Fresh salmon now represents about a quarter of all fresh fish sales in
Salmon sales helped to bring fish sales ahead of other competing proteins. Fresh meat sales fell by 2 percent, and poultry consumption stabilized with the year-ending in August, according to FranceAgriMer.
But in terms of value, the average price of all fresh fish actually fell by 2 percent due to the significant 16 percent fall in the price of fresh salmon. The fall in salmon value negated the overall rise in price for all other fish species.
While whole fish sales continue to fall, pre-packed and filleted fish are an increasingly popular choice for French consumers. In 2012, a considerable 68 percent of all fresh fish was sold in pre-packed portions, compared to 63 percent in 2003.
Increased fresh seafood prices are “playing a role in the slowing down of consumption,” according to France AgriMer. Fresh bivalve sales fell by 2 percent, 9 percent for scallops and cephalopods, and 11 percent for crustaceans.
Deli products, by comparison, have suffered less, with only a light 1 percent fall in consumption over the past year.
Ready-prepared seafood recorded a healthy 4 percent hike in volume sales. A further bright spot is frozen breaded fish, which saw sales rising by 3 percent.
By contrast, frozen and canned seafood witnessed a downturn in consumption.
"We continue to note that the consumer is increasingly moving toward processed products," writes the government food agency.
Between 2003 and 2011, the deli slice of the market rose by nearly 10 percent, moving from 18 percent to 27 percent. This growth has largely to the detriment of fresh seafood, whose share has shrunk from 40 percent to 35 percent.
French exports of aquatic products (not including tuna, feed and oils) fell 2 percent in volume in the last 12 months to September. The average export price rose by 5 percent for the majority of products, equating to a 3 percent rise in value for exports.
And in the 12 months up until the end of August this year, imports of aquatic products (not including tuna, feed and oils) fell by 2 percent in volume. However the average price of products rose by 2 percent, enabling the total value of imports to remain stable.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The year 2025 marks the 30th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and the United States (1995–2025). In parallel with the nation's progress in international economic integration, bilateral seafood trade has followed a remarkably impressive growth trajectory, expanding from an initial scale of just tens of millions of US dollars to nearly $2 billion annually. This growth has positioned the United States as Vietnam’s largest seafood export market for many consecutive years.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On December 12, 2025, the Vietnam Association of Seafood Processing and Export (VASEP) issued document 231/CV-VASEP regarding strengthening measures to combat IUU fishing and working with the Government to lift the EC's IUU yellow card warning.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Tilapia is easy to farm and provides high economic and nutritional value, making it a sought-after export commodity in many countries.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s seafood exports in the first 10 months of 2025 recorded significant progress, reaching more than USD 9.5 billion, up 15% year-on-year. This result reflects the sector’s persistent efforts amid a highly volatile market, especially policy shocks from the US Although signs of slowdown emerged in the third quarter due to countervailing taxes, key product groups still maintained strong momentum and created a foundation for full-year exports to reach USD 11 billion.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s agreement with the United States on a framework for reciprocal, fair, and balanced trade—reached during the 2025 ASEAN Summit in Malaysia—has generated strong optimism for Vietnamese exports, including tuna. Numerous positive points in the joint statement have raised high expectations for Vietnamese export goods, but turning these expectations into tangible benefits remains a long and challenging journey.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) At the conference on “Linking the Production and Consumption Chain of Ca Mau Crab 2025,” Vice Chairman of the Ca Mau Provincial People’s Committee Lê Văn Sử posed a central question: how to shift the province’s crab exports toward official trade channels, instead of relying heavily on small-scale border trade with China as currently practiced.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The whitefish market in Japan is showing a clear divergence among supplying countries, in which Vietnam continues to affirm its role as a stable and high-potential exporter. Vietnam currently ranks third after the US and Russia in whitefish export value to Japan. Thanks to tariff incentives and the ability to meet Japan’s strict standards, Vietnamese pangasius continues to record a stable and positive growth trend.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The People's Committee of Ca Mau Province has just issued a plan to expand the super-intensive, low-water-exchange, biosecure white-leg shrimp farming model (RAS-IMTA) for whiteleg shrimp farming to a scale of 1,500 hectares, aiming to develop high-tech, sustainable and environmentally friendly shrimp farming.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Sa Giang Import-Export Joint Stock Company (HNX: SGC) plans to issue over 7.1 million shares to raise nearly 465 Billion VND for Hoan Ngoc M&A Deal.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) According to Rabobank, global tilapia production is forecast to exceed 7 million tons in 2025, driven by a strong recovery in major producing countries including China, Indonesia, Egypt, Bangladesh and Vietnam. Among them, Vietnam is emerging as a potential tilapia supplier in the global supply chain, capitalizing on market fluctuations to expand production and exports.
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