The multi-stakeholder RS Board appointed to set and administer the standard has now agreed to make a number of changes to improve the standard’s governance and enhance its credibility.
Following consultation with the IFFO Board of Directors it has been agreed to open up the standard to non-IFFO members. Now any fishmeal and fish oil factory wishing to demonstrate its responsible practices will be able to apply for certification to the IFFO RS standard. This should ensure the continued growth of the standard and bring it in line with the recognised best practice for standard setting.
Secondly, the RS Board has agreed to appoint at least one additional Certification Body which can conduct certification of the factories. Currently SAI Global is the only CB with the authority to grant certification to the RS standard, but the intention is to start the process of appointing at least one more CB with similar international reach and credibility. This will provide applicants with a choice of certifiers, which should make the process of becoming certified more efficient and cost effective.
Just as environmental responsibility became a part of international business in the first post-millennium decade, social responsibility is becoming the expectation in the second. To help applicants demonstrate good standards in these areas the RS Board has agreed to add a number of clauses to the IFFO RS factory standard which cover some of the fundamental management issues surrounding good environmental and social practices in fishmeal and fish oil factories.
It has been decided to seek consultation on the wording of these new clauses and a proposed draft can be found on the IFFO RS website and all comments and suggestions are welcome and should be sent to the secretariat at RS@iffo.net before 30th April.
Commenting on the changes Andrew Jackson, Chairman of IFFO RS Board said: “The IFFO RS standard has got off to an excellent start, but the Board felt that the time had come to widen the ambition of the standard to address the whole global marine ingredients industry. The decision to allow non-IFFO members to apply for the standard, gives the factories processing the over 40 per cent of global production not coming from IFFO members, the opportunity to demonstrate their responsible practices.
"These practices will now include not only responsible raw material procurement and safe processing, but also some entry level requirements in the areas of factory effluent and emissions as well as employee terms and conditions. These changes should reassure the marine ingredients value-chain that products certified to our standard are being responsibly produced and are increasingly available for their use.”
(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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