Seafood products “make up as a whole 11 percent of the annual expense that consumers make in their shopping cart for products such as food, cleaning, cosmetic, and hygiene,” Roberto Butragueño, Client Business Partner and Distribution Expert for the information and measurement company Nielsen, told SeafoodSource. He also noted “a certain transfer in the last four years, where fresh fish is losing something of its weight, although it continues to be the most important item making up 7 percent of the expense; in comparison to canned (2.1 percent) and frozen (1.6 percent) products, both gaining market share.”
Regarding consumption of seafood products in Spain, Butragueño said that in the last year the three types of products “have suffered falls of sales in volume, though less than other products of the sector like meat, fruits and vegetables.” Nevertheless, he said, 2014 got off to a good start and “there are some signs of recovery symptoms of sales in the segments of fresh fish and canned products, but it is not replicated in frozen seafood products.”
Regarding the seafood market´s future in Spain, Butragueño pointed out some key needs, like working in research, development and innovation to launch new formats and presentations. These new ideas, he said, would need to solve the demands of consumers according to their convenience and making easier the consumption of seafood products, especially for children, and the diversification of species, among others.
The retailer is the most important commercialization channel for fresh fish in Spain, as Roberto Butragueño explained, though big surfaces like hypermarkets and supermarkets are getting an impulse and they are gaining an important role progressively.
Butragueño was a speaker in the AECOC’s conference of seafood’s commercialization, where the market of seafood was analyzed in depth. Representatives of the canned sector such as Jorge Arrizabalaga took part, as well as marketing manager of the canned seafood group Garavilla, who highlighted some aspects of their strategy of innovation.
The AECOC conference also addressed the key points for the retail sale of seafood. Carles Galve Farré, president of Catalonian Peixaters's union explained how to be a good fishmonger and how to increase the sales and image of such healthy products. Internationalization was another key point for the Spanish sector. According to Butragueño, This is an action that usually "is tremendously positive" to the Spanish companies, because "it allows diversifying the risks of the Spanish market affected by very low paces of growth due to crisis.”
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) After a fairly strong upward trend in 2025, Vietnam’s clam exports entered 2026 with a mixed picture: strong growth at the beginning of the year, followed by a slowdown from March onward. According to Vietnam Customs data, Vietnam’s clam export turnover in the first four months of 2026 reached more than USD 38 million, up 2% compared to the same period in 2025.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s pangasius industry is facing new opportunities to expand its development space as many localities and businesses begin promoting marine farming models aimed at diversifying farming areas and adapting to climate change. However, for pangasius to truly “go offshore” and develop into a large-scale industry segment, significant challenges related to technology, broodstock, and markets still need to be addressed.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tilapia exports in April 2026 reached USD 11 million, up 92% compared to the same period in 2025. This strong growth indicates that Vietnamese tilapia products are continuing to penetrate and expand rapidly in international markets. Cumulative export turnover in the first four months of 2026 reached USD 49 million, up 151% year-on-year.
(seafood.vasep.com) At VietShrimp Asia 2026, disease management trends in shrimp farming are shifting strongly from treatment-based approaches toward proactive prevention through environmental and pond ecosystem control.
(vasep.com.vn) After a period of strong growth, with export turnover reaching USD 38 million in Q1/2026 — up 174% year-on-year — the sector’s rapid expansion clearly reflects growing market opportunities.
(vasep.com.vn) In the first quarter of 2026, Vietnam’s pangasius exports to the ASEAN bloc reached USD 44 million, up 7% compared to the same period in 2025. After falling to the lowest level of the quarter at USD 9 million in February — reflecting the seasonal slowdown in orders after the festive period — exports recovered strongly to USD 18 million in March, the highest monthly value of the quarter. This development shows that import demand for pangasius in ASEAN remains relatively stable despite short-term fluctuations.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On May 11, 2026, the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced a positive comparability finding for Vietnam’s swimming crab fisheries, along with those of Indonesia and Sri Lanka, under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). With this decision, seafood and seafood products harvested from Vietnam’s swimming crab fisheries will continue to be eligible for import into the US market.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) After a slowdown in 2025, Vietnam’s tuna exports to Germany showed more positive signs in the first quarter of 2026. However, the recovery remains uncertain as consumer demand in Germany is still cautious, while market competition is increasingly driven by pricing and supply stability.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) After a sharp decline in 2025, Vietnam’s tuna exports to Israel are showing positive signs of recovery in the early months of 2026. According to Vietnam Customs data, export turnover to this market grew steadily month by month in Q1/2026, reaching nearly USD 10 million, up 33% compared to the same period in 2025. However, compared to Q1/2024, this level remains significantly lower, indicating that the recovery is still in its early stage following last year’s strong adjustment.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Entering 2026, the U.S. whitefish market has shown complex developments as global cod supply continues to tighten, while the U.S. trade environment becomes less stable. In this context, the U.S. market has had to become more flexible in sourcing alternative whitefish. However, relying heavily on Alaska pollock is not a long-term solution, as it is a strictly managed fishery with quotas and sustainability regulations, limiting any rapid increase in output to offset cod shortages.
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