From 2010’s peak of 65,800 MT, the U.S. imported 46% less of the raw material in 2011. American seafood giant Bumble Bee closed two of its plants last year, and the effect can be seen in the decline of imports. In July 2011, its albacore loining plant in Fiji closed temporarily after a dispute with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). As a result, the small Pacific island nation’s market share dropped significantly from 2010 to 2011, with its export volume declining by 69% to a total of 4,600 MT.
Bumble Bee also entirely stopped processing albacore tuna at its factory in Trinidad and Tobago last September due to low production volumes. Trinidad and Tobago exported 5,600 MT in 2011, a 26% decrease from 2010.
Thailand, the leading exporter in tuna loins to the U.S., also fell 8% last year, but overall it showed exceptional growth from 2006 to 2011, peaking at 26,800 MT in 2010. Thai Union the owner of Chicken of the Sea has in 2010 set up a canning plant in the US, Tri-Union Seafoods, based in Georgia. This plant also runs entirely on pre-cooked loins.
Other exporting countries, not including Trinidad and Tobago or Ecuador, made a huge impact in 2011 as they made zero deliveries in tuna loins to the American market. This is a dramatic change from 2010, when they exported a combined total of 16,400 MT.
Since 2006, the U.S. imports of the raw material, used for canned tuna, have declined by 30% to reach the lowest point in the five year period, totaling 35,800 MT. This suggests the domestic canned tuna production is also decreasing, which mirrors the country’s shrinking consumer demand for canned tuna as well. Since 2000, about 11% of American households have stopped eating tuna.
At this years Infofish World Tuna Conference in Bangkok Thai packers also said they would be reducing their output of frozen pre-cooked loins due to the higher labor costs they are facing. Thailand will concentrate more on canning.
The closure this year of Bumble Bee its plant in Puerto Rico, is also a sign that even more of the US consumed canned tuna will in the future come either from tuna canneries in Thailand, Philippines, China or Vietnam or from American Samoa.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the first six months of 2026, Ha Tinh province continued to implement comprehensive solutions to combat IUU fishing; strictly manage the fishing fleet, control fishing vessels entering and leaving ports, operate vessel tracking devices, trace the origin of seafood, and severely punish violations.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam's tilapia exports reached USD 7 million in June 2026, down 32% compared with the same month in 2025. Nevertheless, thanks to strong growth in the first five months of the year, cumulative tilapia exports in the first half of 2026 totaled USD 69 million, up 67% year on year.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Sa Giang Import-Export Joint Stock Company, a member of the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), has been honored with the "Famous Brand - Competitive Vietnamese Brand 2026" certification at an award ceremony organized by the Vietnam Intellectual Property Association (VIPA).
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) China imported nearly $1.4 billion worth of Vietnamese seafood in the first half of the year, a 40% increase compared to the same period last year, surpassing the US to become the largest export market for the industry.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) As part of Vietfish 2026, the International Seafood Hosted Buyer Program has been designed as a dedicated B2B matchmaking initiative for selected international buyers. The program provides opportunities to meet directly with Vietnamese seafood companies, gain market insights, and experience Vietnam's seafood supply chain firsthand.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) A Story from Cà Mau’s Coast It’s 5 AM in Cà Mau. Minh, a third-generation fisherman, is ready to set sail. But unlike his father and grandfather, his boat no longer runs on an old diesel engine that burns fuel and clouds the sky with smoke. Instead, it’s powered by a hybrid engine that saves 40% fuel—funded by an ESG program from a major seafood exporter.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam's pangasius industry is shifting its focus from increasing production volume to enhancing value-added products in order to meet the increasingly stringent requirements of export markets. In An Giang Province—the country's leading hub for pangasius farming and processing—businesses and farmers are prioritizing product quality, traceability, food safety, and sustainable development rather than expanding output.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Following strong growth in 2025, Vietnam’s tuna exports to Sweden continued to edge higher during the first five months of 2026. However, the picture is far from straightforward. Orders have fluctuated significantly from month to month, indicating that this market remains cautious, with purchasing decisions closely tied to actual demand and the import cycles of Nordic distributors rather than to a steady upward trend.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) China’s shrimp imports in the first five months of 2026 continued to surpass the same period in 2025, indicating that demand in the world’s largest seafood-consuming market remains strong. However, behind the growth figures lies an increasingly competitive landscape: Ecuador dominates the competitively priced whiteleg shrimp segment, India remains the second-largest supplier, while Vietnam stands out in the lobster segment but still needs to strengthen its advantages through quality, traceability, and reliable supply.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Lobster exports to China continued to surge in the first half of this year, putting the lobster industry on the verge of reaching an export value exceeding $1 billion.
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