<div style="text-align: justify; line-height: 15pt; margin: 6pt 0cm 0pt"><span style="font-size: 10pt">The government imposed the ban from December-February in East Sulu, Basilan Strait and Sibuguey Bay to let sardines spawn and multiply before the fishing operations that begin in March.</span></div> <div style="text-align: justify; line-height: 15pt; margin: 6pt 0cm 0pt"><span style="font-size: 10pt">During the closed season for sardine fishing, some of the canneries with frozen stocks were able to continue production temporarily but eventually shut down due to a lack of raw materials.</span></div> <div style="text-align: justify; line-height: 15pt; margin: 6pt 0cm 0pt"><span style="font-size: 10pt">For the three months, canneries reconditioned their machines and the fishing fleets repaired nets and prepared for the next fishing season that commenced this month, PNA reports. The suspension of operations of both groups has also forced a rise in the price of canned sardines across the country due to the lower supply and affected the export of the product.</span></div> <div style="text-align: justify; line-height: 15pt; margin: 6pt 0cm 0pt"><span style="font-size: 10pt">Meanwhile, although the ban has been lifted, acute power shortages in the Zamboanga Peninsula will significantly harm the sardine canning business, an industry leader said, Business World reports.</span></div> <div style="text-align: justify; line-height: 15pt; margin: 6pt 0cm 0pt"><span style="font-size: 10pt">"The rotational brownouts would affect the production of the fishing industry particularly sardines canning," said George G Ledesma, president of the Industrial Group of Zamboanga, Inc, whose members are mostly into fish canning. During the ban, BFAR deployed three vessels to patrol the seas and make sure nobody was violating the law. </span></div> <div style="text-align: justify; line-height: 15pt; margin: 6pt 0cm 0pt"><span style="font-size: 10pt">BFAR National Director Asis Perez, said that two fishing boats were caught violating the closed season in the Sibuguey Bay area, Sun Star reports. BFAR also used one of these vessels to conduct research on the spawning season of the fish.</span></div> <div style="text-align: justify; line-height: 15pt; margin: 6pt 0cm 0pt"><span style="font-size: 10pt">Last month, BFAR Regional Director Ahadula Sajili confirmed that studies done during the three-month period demonstrated that sardines were indeed spawning, as evidenced by eggs found in the specimens caught by the research team.</span></div> <div style="text-align: justify; line-height: 15pt; margin: 6pt 0cm 0pt"><span style="font-size: 10pt">Sajili said that this was enough to justify the ban. At the same time, Perez said more studies will be required to institutionalize the closed season period to allow the fish to breed.</span></div> <div style="text-align: justify; line-height: 15pt; margin: 6pt 0cm 0pt"><span style="font-size: 10pt">The open season for fishing sardines begins in March and ends in November, BFAR officials said. BFAR officials estimated that the sardine catch could climb by as much as 327 per cent based on the estimated 100 tonnes now available.</span></div> <div style="text-align: justify; line-height: 15pt; margin: 6pt 0cm 0pt"> </div>
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Da Nang City has fully implemented all recommendations from the European Commission (EC) regarding the fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, creating an important foundation for the removal of the “yellow card” in the near future.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In Hoa Vang district (Da Nang City), red tilapia farming is demonstrating clear economic efficiency, becoming a promising livelihood that helps many households increase their income. A notable example is the model of Mr. Huynh Ngoc Nam, who operates two red tilapia ponds covering more than 4 hectares, generating stable annual income.
(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.
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