Onboard, Minh doesn’t use destructive bottom trawls anymore. He’s switched to selective nets—catching only the right species, the right size, leaving space for future generations of fish. Every trip, he logs details into an app: fishing location, species, weight—all traceable under MSC (Marine Stewardship Council) standards.
Back at the dock, his catch sells for 15–20% higher than the market average. Why? Because those shrimp and fish aren’t just fresh—they’re certified sustainable, and highly sought after in markets like the EU, US, and Japan.
This isn’t a vision of the future. This is Vietnam’s seafood industry in 2026. And Minh’s story is being replicated across Vietnam’s coasts—from Quảng Ninh to Kiên Giang, from shrimp farms to processing plants, from packaging to export logistics.
1. Why Sustainability Is No Longer Optional
Global trade has shifted. Importing countries don’t just ask about price and quality anymore—they demand proof of sustainability.
EU:
US:
Japan:
If you’re not sustainable—you’re out of the global supply chain.
2. ESG Standards: The Heart of Transparency
Buyers today don’t just purchase seafood—they buy the story behind it. ESG (Environmental – Social – Governance) is reshaping Vietnam’s seafood industry:
3. Fuel Efficiency & The Road to Net Zero
Fuel accounts for 30–40% of fishing costs. With volatile oil prices and rising carbon taxes, Net Zero is both a necessity and an opportunity.
Net Zero = Total emissions – (Reductions + Carbon offsets) = 0
Breakthrough solutions include:
4. The Green Packaging Revolution
Eight million tons of plastic enter oceans every year. A sustainable product can’t be wrapped in harmful packaging.
Vietnamese processors are leading the shift to Green Packaging:
This not only helps partners bypass EU plastic taxes but also elevates brand value in the eyes of eco-aware shoppers.
Conclusion: Strategic Partners for a Sustainable Future
The story of Mr. Minh—a fisherman in Ca Mau—is not an exception. It is the future unfolding across Vietnam's waters. From fuel-efficient vessels and eco-shrimp farms to solar-powered factories and packaging made from shrimp shells—the Vietnamese seafood industry is rewriting its own narrative.
In 2026, Vietnam Seafood delivers a powerful and consistent message to the international community: “Vietnam Seafood – Delicious for Today, Green for Tomorrow.”. If we do not protect the ocean today, there will be no seafood tomorrow.
"We don't just sell shrimp—we sell a story of sustainability. And that story is invaluable." — Mr. Le Van Quang, Chairman of Minh Phu Seafood Corp.
Don't miss the opportunity to shape the future of your supply chain!
We cordially invite importers, investors, and international partners to Vietfish 2026—the ultimate platform to connect with the leaders of change and discover tailor-made solutions for your business. Engage in in-depth ESG panel discussions. Network with pioneering suppliers. Experience the most practical, real-world sustainable development solutions firsthand. Come. Learn and Take Action!
📅 Date: Aug 19–21, 2026
📍 Venue: SECC, Ho Chi Minh City
🌐 Website: www.vietfish.com.vn
Hashtags: #Vietfish2026 #SustainableSeafood #ESGSeafood #NetZeroSeafood
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) At the Responsible Seafood Summit and TCRS Shrimp Summit 2026, organized by the GSA (Global Seafood Alliance) in Bangkok, Thailand, the conversation about the future of the shrimp industry began with one of its most important foundations: seedstock quality.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the first eight months of 2026, Vietnam’s tuna exports to Lithuania surpassed $14 million, up 8% year on year. While the increase remains modest, it is notable given the continued pressure on Vietnamese tuna exports to the EU as a whole. More importantly, export turnover to Lithuania has shown a clearer recovery in recent months, making the market a destination worth monitoring for Vietnamese businesses in Europe.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s squid and octopus exports exceeded $527 million in the first eight months of 2026, marking a 15% year-on-year increase. This growth is particularly notable given the strong baseline established in 2025, when export turnover for the same period reached $458 million, a 13% rise from 2024.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnamese pangasius is gaining traction in Japan, where competitive prices and reliable supplies have helped the fish enter professional distribution channels and a major sushi chain.
(vasep.com.vn) A circular economy does not create a “new type of shrimp” or a new certification. Its value lies in helping the shrimp value chain use resources more efficiently, stabilize production, generate additional value from by-products and build the data and evidence needed to meet increasingly stringent market requirements. This was the perspective shared by VASEP at the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Forum on Promoting a Circular Economy in the Shrimp Industry in the Mekong Delta, held in Can Tho on September 21.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s pangasius exports to CPTPP markets reached $264 million in the first eight months of 2026, up 12% year-on-year and accounting for 17% of the nation’s total pangasius export turnover. In August alone, export value reached $34 million, inching up 3%.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Golden pompano is being selected as a high-value species for the development of high-tech marine aquaculture in Lam Dong Province. In 2026, the provincial Agricultural Extension Center launched a golden pompano farming model using circular HDPE cages in Lien Huong Commune, opening opportunities to apply technology to marine farming at a scale suited to local coastal conditions.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s shrimp exports reached $3.3 billion in the first eight months of 2026, up 12% year on year. However, growth momentum is moderating and market divergece is becoming more pronounced, while the US and EU continue to present significant challenges. The latest insights from the Global shrimp forum 2026 (GSF 2026), held in early September, also indicate that the final months of the year will remain highly competitive as global supply continues to expand and buyers place greater emphasis on quality, product specifications, supply consistency and the ability to meet market-specific demand.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s pangasius exports continued to grow in August 2026, bringing total export value in the first eight months of the year to US$1.5 billion, up 10% year-on-year. August exports alone reached US$205 million, up 6%. However, market performance has become increasingly divergent, with China and Brazil posting positive growth while the U.S. continued to record a sharp decline.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s seafood exports reached US$1.14 billion in August 2026, up 6.4% year on year, bringing the total for the first eight months to more than US$8.0 billion, an increase of 11.9%. Monthly export value remained above US$1 billion, but August growth was only around half the rate recorded cumulatively through the first eight months. This indicates that the eight-month result was supported significantly by stronger performance in earlier months, while market conditions are entering a less predictable period.
VASEP - HIỆP HỘI CHẾ BIẾN VÀ XUẤT KHẨU THỦY SẢN VIỆT NAM
Chịu trách nhiệm: Ông Nguyễn Hoài Nam - Phó Tổng thư ký Hiệp hội
Đơn vị vận hành trang tin điện tử: Trung tâm VASEP.PRO
Trưởng Ban Biên tập: Bà Phùng Thị Kim Thu
Giấy phép hoạt động Trang thông tin điện tử tổng hợp số 138/GP-TTĐT, ngày 01/10/2013 của Bộ Thông tin và Truyền thông
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