He said in April this year vis-à-vis March, imports of chilled and frozen fish declined by 24.4% to USD 171 million. For April 2012 compared to April 2011, they were down 18.9%.
During the period of April 2012-April 2011 imports of frozen fish declined 37.7% to USD 52.9 million, also frozen fillets were down 31.7% at USD 22.4 million. For the same period, imports of fresh and chilled fish increased by 2.8% to USD 95.7 million.
The decline was due to lower imports of trout and mackerel. For the period of January-March 2012, frozen trout imports were down 39.6% to 2,900 tonnes; frozen mackerel declined 47.5% to 13,600 tonnes. For the same period, imports of frozen capelin were up 3.2 times to 37,500 tonnes; sprats up 37.3% to 16,900 tonnes; and whiting by 14,100 tonnes. While imports of herring fillets were up 11.2% to 11,900 tonnes, imports of Chinese tilapia and Vietnamese pangasius declined 36.6% to 4,000 tonnes; and surimi by 14.8% to 4,600 tonnes.
At the same time, despite the decline of imports in volume terms, its value is increasing, which corresponds to the trend of 2011, when fish imports to Russia increased by 30%, in value terms, compared to 2010, mainly due to a significant increase in fish prices.
Among the major fish importers to Russia are Norway and Finland.
According to Timur Mitupov, currently Russia is experiencing the process of fish imports' substitution, thanks to the ever growing volumes of domestic catches.
According to the Federal Agency for Fisheries, last year total Russian fish catch amounted to 4.225 million tons of fish and seafood, which is 197,000 tons (4.9%) more than in 2010. Since 2008, the volume of the Russian fish catch is growing annually by about 300 thousand tons per year.
At the same time, according to analysts of the Fishretail, one of Russia's leading magazines in the field of fishery, despite the currently observing imports' decline, Russia still heavily depends on fish supplies from abroad.
According to analysts, fish imports to Russia still significantly exceed the volume of its exports in volume and value terms. In addition, there is a need to take into account that a significant share of fish imports to Russia accounts for the products, which were caught in Russia and imported to the country after processing in China and South Korea.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In Gia Vien district, tilapia farming—particularly the “duong nghiep” strain—is expanding rapidly and gradually becoming an efficient production model for local farmers. Hatcheries in the area are supplying high-quality, uniform, and disease-free fingerlings, meeting the growing demand for commercial farming.
(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.
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