It comes after concerns over dwindling stocks have made bluefin, or red, tuna a priority concern for many green groups.
Scientists estimate the Atlantic bluefin population – which can sell for up to €80,000 per fish – has dropped by around 80 per cent since the 1970s.
High-tech vessels using echo-sounders – as well as spotter planes – have made the catching of the fish in huge ‘purse seine’ nets too easy.
It means that the whole season’s quota has now been filled in just 10 days. Environmentalists insist this is proof that Mediterranean fleets are well over capacity.
They argue that the global quota remains too high to allow the recovery of over-exploited fish stocks. This year’s total global quota was set at 12,900 metric tonnes with 5,756 metric tonnes allocated to the European Union.
“It doesn’t make sense to allow them to fish in the spring anyway,” insists Mojacar-based fisherman John Beachcomber.
“This is when the tuna are coming into the Med to spawn and therefore killing them means less young are being born. “It would be far more sensible to have a larger quota in the autumn when they are leaving again to go back to the Atlantic.”
Of the Mediterranean bluefin tuna some 90 percent is exported to Japan where it is a prized ingredient in high-grade sushi.
The rest is carefully doled out to hotels and restaurants throughout Spain, in particular at various famous eateries on the Costa de la Luz, including La Brena and El Campero. Any boats now caught fishing for tuna can be scuttled for up to three years under new penalties.
(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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