As a country with a highly developed fishing industry, Canada catches more than 3.800 MT of Pacific albacore tuna, however the amount is insufficient to meet domestic demand. Therefore, Canada still has to import tuna from other countries in the world. By the end of 2017, Canada is currently the 14th largest market for tuna imports in the world.
Tuna is one of the staple foods in many Canadian families, especially canned tuna. According to the statistics of the International Trade Center, the first half of 2018, Canada's canned tuna imports accounted for more than 86% of the country's total volume of tuna imports.
To meet the demand of domestic consumption and tuna production, Canada is importing tuna from 46 countries around the world. Thailand, the US, Vietnam, Philippines, Italy, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Japan and South Korea are the main tuna supplies for this market in the first 8 months of 2018.
Among them, ASEAN countries account for more than 84% of the total volume of Canadian tuna imports. According to ITC statistics, the export of tuna of ASEAN countries to this market in recent years is not stable with constant sin-shaped fluctuations. The volume of Canadian tuna imports from ASEAN countries ranged from 1.7 to 3.7 thousand MT in the first 6 months of this year.
Currently Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines are the three largest tuna suppliers in ASEAN for this market. With the largest market share, accounting for nearly 75% of the total volume of Canadian tuna imports, Thailand is dominating the Canadian tuna market, especially in the market segment of canned tuna. Meanwhile, the Philippines and Vietnam only account for 4% market share.
Notably, while there was a tendency to reduce tuna imports from Thailand, imports from other sources, including Vietnam increased. This shows that Canadian businesses tend to diversify their supply sources, avoiding dependence on suppliers from Thailand. In addition, the high price of skipjack in Bangkok has reduced the competitive advantage of Thai canned tuna products in the Canadian market.
In addition, because the amount of tuna caught in Thailand tended to decrease in the previous time due to the ban on sea exploitation, Thailand's supply of processed tuna also became limited. Therefore, Canada must find alternative sources from other countries like the Philippines and Vietnam.
According to statistics of Vietnam Customs, in the first 9 months of this year, Canada has imported nearly 11 million USD of tuna products from Vietnam, up by 13.5% compared to the same period in 2017. In which, export value for frozen tuna / fillet products accounted for the highest proportion of 69%. Compared to last year, the export of tuna from Vietnam to Canada increased over the same period, except for the one of frozen tuna fillet.
While canned tuna products imported into Canada are subject to tax, fresh and frozen tuna products are exempted from import duty. Currently, Vietnam's canned tuna exports to Canada are subject to 4% tax, while the number for Thailand, Philippines, the US and Italy are 5.8%, 4%, 0% and 5.8% respectively.
With the exemption of import tax on fresh and frozen tuna and low tariff on canned tuna processing, Canada is the remarkable export market for businesses at this time, especially when the demand for tuna imports of traditional large markets like the US and EU are becoming more unstable.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Although Germany’s tuna imports have declined, Vietnam’s tuna exports to the market continue to show positive signs. Notably, export value recovered strongly in Q3/2026, and German import data also show Vietnamese products strengthening their position amid competition among suppliers.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Seafood exports are holding double-digit growth, but the opportunities are not spread evenly across product groups and markets. As businesses draw up their plans for 2027, Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026 (VSS2026) offers a chance to look ahead together: what to sell, where to sell it, and how to prepare for growth in the coming years.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) With less than two weeks to go, the Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026 (VSS 2026) will officially take place in Can Tho. Under the theme “Seafood Market Outlook 2027–2029 – Opportunities and Potential for Double-Digit Export Growth,” the Summit is organized by VASEP at a time when seafood businesses are facing rapid market shifts, changing buyer demand, trade policy changes and growing competitive pressure all at once.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On October 28, 2026, the China Fisheries & Seafood Expo opened in Qingdao, China. The expo takes place over three days from October 28 to 30, 2026. This is a prestigious specialized seafood exhibition organized annually by Sea Fare Exposition Inc.
(vasep.com.vn) In the first nine months of 2026, Vietnam’s tilapia exports to the CPTPP bloc reached $7 million, marking a 51% year-on-year increase. The bloc rstands as the fourth-largest market for Vietnamese tilapia, trailing Brazil, the US, and Saudi Arabia.
(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 - HIỆP HỘI CHẾ BIẾN VÀ XUẤT KHẨU THỦY SẢN VIỆT NAM
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