In 2013, Vietnam totaled 3,500 off-shore fishing boats for ocean tuna (accounting for 14 percent of nationwide distant fishing boats) with over 35,000 fishermen. Apart from traditional longline fishing, line fishing with lights is also popular and provides huge supply of raw fish. In 2013, catches of yellowfin and bigeye tuna reached 16,000 MT. Exports valued at US$526 million. The U.S., the EU and Japan are the main markets for Vietnam ocean tuna products.
Tuna is the third export item of Vietnam after shrimp and pangasius. However, this fish industry is facing some problems: individual fishing activities among local fishermen, backward logistic services, limited bank credits for this sector, lack of close links among stakeholders in the production chain, especially the post harvest steps.
These weaknesses cause low quality of tuna products. Due to post harvest losses, there are only 5 – 6 percent of line-caught tuna and 30 – 40 percent of longline-caught tuna meeting quality requirements to be processed as sashimi products to export by airway.
Moreover, tuna producers just focus on fish yield and profits they earn rather than pay attention to markets' demand to provide more value-added products.
Improving quality
To keep stable developing of the sector, fish quality is required to improve. Fishermen need to create more fishing groups and efficient methods of purchasing, transportation and logistic services at sea in order to reduce time waste in the post harvest step.
According to a representative from the Japanese company Yanmar, raw fish quality is the fundamental factor to raise the price of product. Fish with good quality will have higher price and meet requirements of Japanese importers and others. Therefore, tuna producers should pay attention to immediate freezing step on board and at landing ports and better preservation storage using hygienic ice to ensure the fish quality.
(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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