“This year, we want to engage not only producers, but also retailers, hotels and restaurants that buy seafood from the producers,” Margareth Meutia, WWF senior officer for the program, told Bali Daily on Wednesday.
The establishment of Seafood Savers aims to promote a sustainable fishery industry by ensuring that seafood is produced, caught, processed and distributed sustainably throughout the supply chain, from the sea to the plate.
Since it was established in 2009, the program has received positive responses from industry players. At present, 10 companies — comprising nine fish producers and one retailer — have joined the initiative.
Meutia said more retailers, hotels and restaurants were being targeted to raise awareness on sustainable fishing practices in the local industry and among the public in Indonesia.
“Most of the companies that have joined us are fish exporters. For these companies, applying sustainable practices is a must, due to demand by the importing countries. But we feel that we have to do more to campaign and educate on this issue domestically. Therefore, we want to engage more companies that are doing all their business here,” she said.
She added that the amount of seafood consumed domestically by retailers, hotels and restaurants was significant, thus making it more important to educate the public on sustainable fishing.
By joining the program, companies are assisted to apply principles that are in compliance with the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) and Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC). They will also get assistance to be able to achieve MSC or ASC certification.
According to the WWF, the global fishing industry has experienced massive expansion in recent decades. Its report indicates that areas exploited by global fishing fleets have increased tenfold since 1950.
By 2006, 100 million square kilometers, or about one-third of the ocean’s surface, had been impacted by fishing. Global marine catches have increased fivefold from 19 million tons in 1950 to 87 million tons in 2005, thus driving exploitation beyond carrying capacity.
Capture fisheries also face severe issues of by-catch, where a portion of a commercial fishing catch consists of marine animals caught unintentionally, such as juvenile fish, biologically important species and even endangered, threatened and protected species, causing further degradation to the marine ecosystem.
The UN’s Food and Agriculture Office (FAO) reports confirm that the world’s aquaculture production increased from less than 1 million tons per year in the early 1950s to 52 million tons in 2008.
Unfortunately, this growth comes with the use of unsustainable practices that damage the surrounding environment, such as mangrove clearing, excessive use of chemical substances and the introduction of new species.
One of the companies that has joined this initiative is UD Pulau Mas, a Bali-based company exporting live grouper fish. The company dominates the market of live grouper in Indonesia, with 60 percent market share.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The year 2025 marked a pivotal milestone for Vietnam’s seafood industry in its restructuring process toward sustainability, transparency, and higher value creation, amid continued uncertainties in the global economic and trade environment. Prolonged inflation in major economies, the rising trend of trade protectionism, and increasingly stringent requirements related to environmental standards, traceability, and social responsibility have posed significant challenges to seafood production and exports. Nevertheless, overcoming these pressures, Vietnam’s seafood sector has gradually demonstrated its adaptability, maintained growth momentum, and laid an important foundation for the next stage of development.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Amid the increasingly evident impacts of drought and saltwater intrusion, the shrimp-rice production model in Ca Mau province continues to prove itself as a viable direction, contributing to higher farmer incomes, improved soil conditions and the promotion of ecological and sustainable agricultural development.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The management of fishing vessels, monitoring of fishing activities, and handling of violations in the fisheries sector in Lam Dong province have continued to be implemented in a synchronized and stringent manner, contributing to raising awareness of legal compliance among fishermen and aiming to end illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Can Tho’s fishery industry sustained steady growth in 2025 with total aquatic and marine output reaching nearly 783,000 tons, fulfilling 100% of the annual target. Aquaculture, capture fisheries and fishing fleet management were further strengthened, aiming for sustainable development in the coming years.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In 2025, Vietnam’s pangasius export turnover reached nearly USD 2.2 billion, up 8% year-on-year. This result indicates that pangasius exports maintained their growth momentum despite significant volatility in the global market environment. In December 2025, pangasius export value reached USD 200 million, up 10% compared to December 2024. This solid performance in the final month of the year reflects increased import demand for consumption and inventory replenishment in key markets.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In 2025, Vietnam’s tuna exports to Spain experienced significant fluctuations. According to Vietnam Customs, during the first 11 months of 2025, export turnover for the first 11 months of the year edged up by 0.3% year-on-year, reaching nearly $15 million.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Deputy Prime Minister Bui Thanh Son has signed Decision No. 16/QD-TTg, dated January 5, 2026, approving the implementation plan for the Vietnam-Israel Free Trade Agreement (VIFTA). Under the plan, in the coming period, ministries, ministerial-level agencies, government-affiliated entities and People’s Committees of provinces and centrally-run cities must institutionalize and execute tasks focused on the dissemination of information regarding VIFTA and the Israeli market; legislative and institutional development, as well as enhancing competitiveness and human resource growth...
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Beyond achieving double-digit growth, Vietnam’s fish cake and surimi exports are showing a notable year-end "inflection point": the EU his accelerating with nearly twofold growth, China & Hong Kong are rising sharply, while the largest market, South Korea, signaled a slowdown in November. According to Vietnam Customs data, export turnover of fish cake and surimi reached $327 million in the first 11 months of 2025, up 22% year-on-year; November 2025 alone accounted for $35 million, marking a 5% increase. This serves as a critical foundation for exporters to reassess market structures and competitive intensity while finalizing order strategies for 2026.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Ca Mau, widely regarded as the nation’s “shrimp capital”, continued its strong performance in 2025 as shrimp output reached nearly 600,000 tons, maintaining its position as Vietnam’s leading shrimp-producing locality.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On December 29, 2025, at the 2025 Pangasius Industry Review Conference held in Can Tho City, the Vietnam Pangasius Association announced that fingerling prices have surged to record levels due to acute supply shortages.
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