The agency hopes to gradually get rid of poaching sea products, the volumes of which have increased dramatically with the official figures of Russia and Japan on the volumes of Russian crab deliveries differing by more than 20 times.
In the first half of 2013, only 603 metric tons of Russian crab was officially exported, according to the Russian customs service. But the Japanese Ministry of Finance registered imports of 13,800 metric tons.
However, patterns are starting to change, following the signing of a Russia-Japan agreement to combat illegal, unregulated, unreported (IUU) fishing, a representative of the Eastern Association of Crab Catchers said.
For instance, in the first six months of this year volume red king crab exported to Japan was five times higher than last year. Registered shipments amounted to 8,600 metric tons compared, while snow crab showed minimum supplies of 5,200 metric tons in last ten years.
"No one wants to take the risk because of snow crab, the cost of which in recent years have rarely exceeded $4 (€3) to $5 (€3.8) per kilogram. Instead, king crab with a price of $12 (€9) to $16 (€12) per kilogram has become more tempting prey", a source at the association said.
The Russian Fishery Agency confirmed a sharp rise in illegal shipments of red king. "In the last 1.5 years, before the entry into force of Russian-Japanese and Russian-Chinese agreements on combating IUU fishing, a huge stream of poaching crab swamped the ports of the Japanese island of Hokkaido", Alexander Saveljev, the head of the public relations center at Rosrybolovstvo, said.
Russian experts expect the introduction of control certificates will both sharply decline volumes of IUU fishing and significantly raise the prices for crab of Russian origin.
"It is difficult to predict how these prices will rise," Saveljev said. "But it's highly likely the price hike will happen, as the growth of the supplies of poaching crab has led to a sharp decline in prices and to big losses of legitimate suppliers.
"The cost of legally caught crab dropped by three times in last 18 months from $25 (€18.8) to $28 (€21) per kilogram."
The Russian Far East region has the world's major stock of crab. According to official data about 50 to 60 percent of the Russian catch is exported, however, experts said this figure reaches 90 percent, taking into account illegal fishing and the "gray" crab supplies.
According to Rosrybolovstvo statistics, the 2012 crab catch of Russian origin amounted to 44.2 million metric tons, of which 26.7 million tons were exported.
In the first half of the 2013 some 22.9 million tons of crab were harvested with about 14 million tons delivered to the external market.
The Russian legal crab catching is estimated at $1 billion (€749.9 million) to $1.2 billion (€899.9 million) with the export share reaching $500 (€375) to $600 million (€449.9 million).
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam has strengthened its position in China’s massive seafood market, becoming the largest lobster supplier while maintaining a dominant share of the country’s imported pangasius.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietfish 2026 was more than just a larger exhibition space. Through B2B meetings, booth discussions, production-chain visits and post-show feedback, businesses and buyers found something more concrete: suitable suppliers, processing capabilities, technology solutions, new markets and a foundation for building long-term trust and partnerships.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tilapia exports to the United States declined significantly in the first seven months of 2026. Cumulative export value reached US$18 million, down 42% from the same period in 2025. In July alone, exports amounted to just US$2 million, plunging 70%, indicating a clear slowdown in import demand from the US market.
(vasep.com.vn) At the seminar “Global Seafood Markets and the Future Workforce: Trends, Opportunities and Directions for the Sustainable Development of Vietnam’s Fisheries Sector,” held as part of VIETFISH 2026, Ms. Shirlene Maria Anthonysamy, Fisheries Officer (Markets) and GLOBEFISH Coordinator at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), presented initiatives aimed at promoting youth participation in fisheries and aquaculture.
(vasep.com.vn) In the first seven months of 2026, Vietnam’s pangasius exports to the United States reached US$189 million, down 8% year-on-year. In July alone, export value reached US$22 million, down 28%. This trend indicates that U.S. demand for pangasius imports has remained relatively cautious this year, as importers tend to maintain moderate inventory levels and limit stockpiling.
(vasep.com.vn) After three days at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC) in Ho Chi Minh City, the Vietnam International Fisheries Exhibition – VIETFISH 2026 – has successfully concluded, leaving a strong impression in terms of scale, visitor numbers, the quality of business connections, and innovative activities. With more than 14,000 m² of exhibition space, 335 companies, 568 booths, participation from representatives of 17 countries and territories, and nearly 15,000 visitors, VIETFISH 2026 has once again affirmed its role as an important meeting point for Vietnam’s and the global seafood industry.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Held as part of Vietfish 2026 from August 19–21 at SECC in Ho Chi Minh City, a series of five specialized seminars provided the seafood business community with updates on markets, technology, standards, human resources and cooperation opportunities. With the participation of experts, international organizations, government agencies and businesses from Vietnam and abroad, the seminars created an additional platform for professional exchange alongside the exhibition’s product showcases and business networking activities.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On the morning of August 19, 2026, the Vietnam International Seafood Exhibition – VIETFISH 2026 officially opened at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC) in Ho Chi Minh City. With 568 booths representing 335 companies, alongside the presence of senior government officials, local authorities, diplomatic missions and international partners, VIETFISH 2026 kicks off three days of business networking, technology exchange and market engagement under the overarching theme “Innovation and Sustainability.”
The Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) officially announces that the Vietnam International Seafood Exhibition (Vietfish 2026) will take place from August 19–21, 2026, at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC), Ho Chi Minh City.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s seafood exports recorded strong growth in the first half of 2026, but the performance was increasingly uneven across products, markets and enterprises. VASEP’s newly released premium report provides the detailed data and analysis needed to understand what lies behind the headline figures and prepare for the more challenging months ahead.
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
Tel: (+84 24) 3.7715055 – (ext.203); email: kimthu@vasep.com.vn
Trụ sở: Số 7 đường Nguyễn Quý Cảnh, Phường An Phú, Quận 2, Tp.Hồ Chí Minh
Tel: (+84) 28.628.10430 - Fax: (+84) 28.628.10437 - Email: vasephcm@vasep.com.vn
VPĐD: số 10, Nguyễn Công Hoan, Ngọc Khánh, Ba Đình, Hà Nội
Tel: (+84 24) 3.7715055 - Fax: (+84 24) 37715084 - Email: vasephn@vasep.com.vn