“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 “Moringa Noodles Salad” product by Sa Giang Import-Export Corporation was honored as one of the “Top 10 Winning Products” at the THAIFEX – Anuga taste Innovation Show 2026, held as part of THAIFEX – Anuga Asia 2026 in Bangkok.
(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.
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