Kevin Fitzsimmons, professor of environmental science at the University of Arizona, told the crowd at the World Tilapia Conference last month the estimated value of tilapia product forms imported to the United States, the world's most valuable tilapia market, will exceed $1 billion by the end of this year.
Combining the $986.1 million in tilapia imports to the United States in 2012, with the estimated $84 million in US-produced farmed tilapia which was sold that year, that mark has essentially already broken, Fitzsimmons said.
In his presentation, Fitzsimmons pointed to several reasons why the consumption of the whitefish has grown, not only in the United States, but throughout the world.
According to Fitzsimmons, the increase of tilapia farming in Mekong, Vietnam; government support and private sector investment in Malaysia; the commercialization of sub-Saharan Africa and the availability of water, labor, land and feed in Brazil have all led to increased production.
Similar to Malaysia, Bangladesh farmers, with the support from their government and private sector investments, are expected to increase production from roughly 100,000 metric tons in 2011, by nearly 20,000 metric tons this year.
Mike Picchietti, president of Americas Tilapia Alliance, told IntraFish the numbers shouldn’t be surprising as the popularity of the fish continues to grow, especially in the United States.
“In general aquaculture is shrinking in this country but tilapia farming is growing exponentially,” he said. “I think tilapia is going to continue to grow everywhere but it’ll depend on the country’s natural resources.”
After announcing the change from the American Tilapia Association to the Americas Tilapia Alliance (ATA) last month, in order to expand the group's focus and international influence, Picchietti said the use of the fish could grow worldwide if the technology to process it is developed.
In the US the cost to produce the fish is double, and three to five times as much to process it than tropical developing countries, he said. Automation has also not worked yet because of the small size of tilapia needs human work.
Marketing live tilapia could also increase the demand for the fish in the region, Picchietti added.
“I could see all the grocery stores and restaurants having live tanks with tilapia in them,” he said. “That’s one of the main goals of the new ATA is to see if we can expand the market and develop trade in the central and south American countries.”
(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.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Entering 2026, the U.S. whitefish market has shown complex developments as global cod supply continues to tighten, while the U.S. trade environment becomes less stable. In this context, the U.S. market has had to become more flexible in sourcing alternative whitefish. However, relying heavily on Alaska pollock is not a long-term solution, as it is a strictly managed fishery with quotas and sustainability regulations, limiting any rapid increase in output to offset cod shortages.
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