South Korean pollock sales plummet on Japanese radiation fears despite it being Russian caught

News 10:37 13/09/2014
Lee Gui-ja, a South Korean housewife, will not be preparing traditional pollack pancakes for Thanksgiving celebrations this week due to worries the fish may be contaminated by radiation from Japan’s leaking Fukushima nuclear reactor.

Japan has sought to reassure the international community the facility is under control but South Korea has banned fishery imports from the affected region.

Even though most frozen pollock comes to South Korea from Russian waters, sales of fish have plunged before South Koreans mark the main annual holiday this week.

Japanese officials have been lobbying — without success — to have the ban lifted.

“I watched the news and will not put frozen pollock pancakes on the table this year, although they have always been there,” Lee said at a fish market in central Seoul. “Maybe I will prepare mung bean or beef pancakes instead.”

Pancakes are one of the dishes traditionally placed on the table to honor ancestors and then shared by the family once the ritual is complete.

“Sales are more than 60 percent down and stocks are all piled up,” said Park Sun-young, who sells frozen pollack. “We keep telling people that these are not Japanese fish but people don’t believe it.”

Kim Heon-tae, an official at the Korea Overseas Fisheries Association, said 98 percent of imported frozen pollack comes from Russian waters.

Even so, Hansung Enterprise, a South Korean fisheries company, said sales of frozen pollack fell 42.5 percent between January and August from a year earlier.

“This is the toughest time I have ever seen,” said Park as she sliced pollack that no one appeared to want. Park runs her parents’ shop, which has been in business for 20 years.

Scientists have played down the risk of contamination.

TIN MỚI CẬP NHẬT

Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026: Exploring new growth opportunities for Vietnam’s seafood industry

 |  08:46 16/10/2026

(vasep.com.vn) On November 11, 2026, in Can Tho, the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) will organize the Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026 (VSS 2026) under the theme “Seafood Market Outlook 2027–2029: Opportunities and Headroom for Double-Digit Export Growth.”

Business leader Do Ngoc Tai: Vision, determination, and ambition to take Vietnam’s seafood industry further

 |  11:56 14/10/2026

(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Business leader Do Ngoc Tai, General Director of Tai Kim Anh Seafood Processing Joint Stock Company, was honored by the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) with the title “Outstanding Vietnamese Entrepreneur – Thanh Giong Cup 2026” at a ceremony celebrating Vietnam Entrepreneurs’ Day (October 13). The event took place on the evening of October 11, 2026, at the National Convention Center in Hanoi.

Global tilapia supply is being reshaped, opening new opportunities for Vietnam

 |  08:27 13/10/2026

(vasep.com.vn) The global tilapia market is becoming increasingly segmented, not only among producing countries but also by product type and destination market. Supply is divided into groups with distinct competitive advantages: large volumes of whole fish and frozen fillets from Asia, high-value fresh fillets from Latin America, and substantial domestic consumption in several major producing countries.

Vietnam’s tuna exports to the UK rise 12%, with further market share gains still possible

 |  08:38 12/10/2026

(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tuna exports to the UK grew in the first eight months of 2026, despite signs of slowing import demand in the market. However, sharp fluctuations in orders, competition from major suppliers, and new traceability requirements are creating challenges for Vietnamese exporters.

Marine conservation to be strengthened to protect livelihoods and blue economy

 |  09:11 08/10/2026

(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam is stepping up efforts to combat illegal fishing, protect marine ecosystems, expand digital monitoring, and develop science-based management to ensure the sea can support communities and the economy for generations to come.

Vietnam’s shrimp exports to the EU: opportunities remain as the market shifts

 |  09:18 07/10/2026

(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The EU remains a critical market for Vietnamese shrimp; however, purchasing demand and import patterns are undergoing notable changes. According to Vietnam Customs data, as of September 15, 2026, Vietnam’s shrimp exports to the EU reached nearly $374 million, down 5% year-over-year and accounting for 10.7% of the country’s total shrimp export value. Meanwhile, the EU’s stotal shrimp imports through July 2026 contracted by 7% in volume, exhibiting divergent trends across Southern Europe, Northwestern Europe and Eastern Europe. These dynamics necessitate that Vietnamese enterprises closely monitor individualized market demand, rather than approaching the EU as a monolithic consumer block.

Vietnam’s surimi exports: the imperative for continued expansion into high-demand markets needed

 |  08:25 06/10/2026

(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the first eight months of 2026, Vietnam’s exports of surimi and fish cakes remained relatively stable year-over-year compared to 2025. Following a contraction in the initial months, export performance demonstrated improvement from June onward, peaking in August. However, the recovery has been uneven, characterized by divergent trends across major markets: robust growth was recorded in China, Japan, Malaysia, the United States, and Taiwan, whereas export volumes to South Korea, Indonesia, and select European markets contracted.

Dong Thap accelerates pangasius farming and deep processing

 |  08:27 05/10/2026

(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Pangasius remains one of Dong Thap’s key aquaculture species, with the province focusing on developing an integrated value chain covering seed production, commercial farming, deep processing and by-product utilization. The province is promoting high-tech, circular pangasius farming models featuring reduced water exchange and enhanced biosecurity, aiming to improve production efficiency and strengthen control over raw material quality.

Seafood exports surpass US$9 billion in the first nine months, growth slows in Q4

 |  09:24 02/10/2026

(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s seafood exports in September 2026 are estimated at US$1.135 billion, up 11.9% year-on-year, bringing total exports in the first nine months of the year to US$9.103 billion, up 11.4%. Behind this double-digit growth, however, increasingly divergent market trends are emerging: China–Hong Kong and ASEAN posted strong growth, while the U.S., EU and Japan all recorded declines in September.

Vietnamese tilapia to Brazil: growth recovers but challenges remain

 |  13:31 01/10/2026

(vasep.com.vn) In the first eight months of 2026, Brazil became the largest market for Vietnamese tilapia, with export value reaching US$44 million, up 22,142% year-on-year and accounting for 49% of Vietnam’s total tilapia exports. In August alone, exports to Brazil reached US$4 million. However, behind this remarkable growth is a market that is imposing increasingly stringent requirements on imported supplies.

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