“This year it’s more evenly spread out, whereas last year was more of a feast or famine,” Eastern Fisheries Executive Vice President Joe Furtado told IntraFish. Scallopers are coming out of a unique situation brought on by the Japan's nuclear fallout last year.
Even though seafood from Japan was safe to eat, negative consumer perception still lingered from the Fukushima nuclear meltdown, making seafood from Japan a risky commodity to try to sell, Furtado said.
That meant circulation of Japanese scallops, which have become a staple in the giant US and Chinese markets, went down dramatically, and prices responded accordingly by increasing dramatically. Figures from Seatrade International show prices at this time last year at $10.50 per pound for most sizes, whereas this year, with supply back up, prices are at $9.75 to $10.
The higher overall supply from Northern Japan, which is expected to hit the US market by early August, is having a big affect, Furtado said.
"The northern Japanese fishery has become a staple import for both the United States and China, and with the events surrounding last year’s tsunami, buyers were forced to shift their efforts more heavily into the US fishery," Furtado said. But both supply and prices could change as the year continues.
“Right now you're going to see the (US) landings slow down a little bit, and I think you're going to see boat prices arc upward," Ross Paasche, president of the American Scallop Association, told IntraFish.
At this time last year, prices started to arc upward, and by the end of the year, they had reached a 9 year high of $11 per pound for both 10-20 and 20-30 count per pound sizes.
Prices for scallops at the auction in New Bedford, Massachusetts:
8-10 per pound count: $10.54 on July 18
10-20 per pound count: $10.10 on July 17
Twelve and under per pound count: $9.90 on July 18
Demand up in China
Chinese scallop buyers are shifting their preferences towards higher end products in an effort to keep up with the country shifting landscape.
Over the past two years, Eastern Fisheries’ biggest area of growth has been in China, where demand for dry, chemical free, unadulterated, frozen scallops has increased dramatically, Furtado said.
Two years ago, just 10 percent of the scallops Eastern shipped to China were dry and chemical free. That number shifted to 50 percent last year, and 80 percent this year. However, this may not be a direct reflection of the final product form Chinese consumers are eating.
“I don’t know how many of those customers are taking those products and further processing themselves,” he said.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Japan continues to be one of Vietnam’s most important and stable shrimp markets. In recent years, shrimp exports to this market have fluctuated in line with Japan’s broader economic and consumption cycles, yet Japan remains a major, high-value destination with stringent standards.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In 2025, Vietnam’s tuna exports to Spain increased by 13% compared to 2024. This growth trend has continued into the first two months of 2026. According to Vietnam Customs statistics, export turnover to this market reached nearly USD 3 million in January–February 2026, up 101% year-on-year and significantly higher than the same period in 2024. This development indicates that Spain is once again becoming a notable destination for Vietnamese tuna amid strong demand for tuna raw materials and products in Europe.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The 2026 brackish water shrimp farming season in the Mekong Delta has started earlier than usual, mainly driven by positive market signals, as shrimp prices in 2025 remained high and supply was limited. Many enterprises and farms in Cần Thơ, Cà Mau, and Vĩnh Long have proactively stocked early to seize opportunities. By early 2026, stocking areas in many localities had reached a high proportion of planned targets, with intensive and high-tech farming models expanding rapidly.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tilapia exports to the United States recorded remarkable growth in 2025, opening up major opportunities while also presenting considerable challenges. The U.S. remains the largest importer of Vietnamese tilapia fillets, with export turnover reaching USD 40 million—an increase of up to 499% compared to 2024. This impressive growth reflects strong demand in the U.S. market, as supply from competing countries such as China has been constrained by tariffs and rising production costs.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Pangasius remains a strategic export commodity in Vietnam’s seafood sector. Entering 2026, the industry faces a strong need to transition from volume-based growth to a value-driven development model, with a focus on quality, food safety, and sustainability.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Following damage caused by Storm No. 13 in late 2025, brackish water shrimp farming in Gia Lai is being rapidly restored. In key farming areas such as Tuy Phước and Tuy Phước Đông, farmers are focusing on rehabilitating ponds, repairing infrastructure, and treating the environment in preparation for the 2026 crop.
(seafood.vasep.com) Facing the decline in fishery resources, Vietnam is accelerating livelihood transitions for fishermen to reduce fishing pressure and move toward sustainable development. Marine fish stocks have dropped significantly from 4.82 million tons in 2000–2005 to 3.95 million tons in 2016–2020.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s shrimp industry is entering a period of strong transformation with the emergence of various high-tech farming models, helping improve productivity and competitiveness. Over the past 5–10 years, farming practices have shifted from traditional methods to intensive and super-intensive systems, featuring lined ponds, environmental sensors, automated feeding, and data management.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) With a focus on sustainable development, high-tech application, and climate change adaptation, An Giang Province aims to maintain its brackish water shrimp production in 2026 at a level equivalent to the previous year. Specifically, output is projected to reach over 155,510 tons, serving both domestic consumption and export processing, thereby sustaining the fisheries sector’s key role in the local economic structure.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the Mekong Delta, key pangasius farming provinces such as An Giang, Dong Thap, and Can Tho are accelerating the transition toward a circular economy model, contributing to higher product value and reduced environmental impact. Instead of focusing solely on farming and processing, the pangasius value chain is increasingly utilizing by-products and waste streams to generate added value.
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