The association, which represents the interest of service providers to the tuna industry, said the levy of USD 350 per tonne imposed in June last year on foreign fish exported directly from Fiji has led to job losses for locals.
Spokesperson John Lee said the tax was applied without having consulted with service providers. "The fish is caught outside Fiji's waters and is considered foreign," he said, Fiji Times reports.
The government's effort to help the industry failed to take into account the deleterious economic effect the levy would have on service providers.
"Imposing tax on trans-shipment of cargo or fish on an international port is in breach of World Customs Organisation and World Trade Organisation (WTO), of which Fiji's Customs Authority and the government are party. The alternate way this levy could be imposed is through an affordable service fee as mentioned in the budget on the Fisheries segment," Lee continued.
Most fishing boat owners, he noted, were now seeking other countries with which to conduct trans-shipment. Some businesses have had to deal with this shift by laying off workers, he explained.
Grahame Southwick, Fiji Tuna Boat Owners Association spokesperson, said the fisheries authority two years ago started to let foreign fishing vessels based in Fiji to export without the use of Fiji’s processing plants.
"This allowed them to come to the Kings Wharf, and using their own crew, unload the fish directly into containers and ship it out. This meant no fish for all the Fiji processors, and Pacific American Fish Company, Inc (PAFCO) was reduced to three-day weeks, the five Suva processors had empty factories and staff members were laid off,” he said.
His association supports the expansion of the Fiji fleet beyond the exclusive economic zone (EEZ), although Southwick specified that it must be carried out by way of arrangements with neighbouring states or on the high seas – and the expansion arrangements must be for Fiji boats.
Meanwhile, the Fisheries Department has informed that Fiji is evaluating how to lower the number of chartered fishing vessels because “partners” may offer the service at lower costs.
The Fiji Tuna Boat Owners Association has already voiced its concern about the number of licences granted to operators as well as about overfishing, and there have been recent consultations among stakeholders and key players of the fisheries sector over the Tuna Management Development Plan.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Although Germany’s tuna imports have declined, Vietnam’s tuna exports to the market continue to show positive signs. Notably, export value recovered strongly in Q3/2026, and German import data also show Vietnamese products strengthening their position amid competition among suppliers.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Seafood exports are holding double-digit growth, but the opportunities are not spread evenly across product groups and markets. As businesses draw up their plans for 2027, Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026 (VSS2026) offers a chance to look ahead together: what to sell, where to sell it, and how to prepare for growth in the coming years.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) With less than two weeks to go, the Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026 (VSS 2026) will officially take place in Can Tho. Under the theme “Seafood Market Outlook 2027–2029 – Opportunities and Potential for Double-Digit Export Growth,” the Summit is organized by VASEP at a time when seafood businesses are facing rapid market shifts, changing buyer demand, trade policy changes and growing competitive pressure all at once.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On October 28, 2026, the China Fisheries & Seafood Expo opened in Qingdao, China. The expo takes place over three days from October 28 to 30, 2026. This is a prestigious specialized seafood exhibition organized annually by Sea Fare Exposition Inc.
(vasep.com.vn) In the first nine months of 2026, Vietnam’s tilapia exports to the CPTPP bloc reached $7 million, marking a 51% year-on-year increase. The bloc rstands as the fourth-largest market for Vietnamese tilapia, trailing Brazil, the US, and Saudi Arabia.
(vasep.com.vn) VASEP has officially announced the program for Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026 (VSS 2026), featuring five in-depth sessions covering industry outlooks, trade barriers, buyer demand, the domestic market, and solutions to improve productivity and reduce costs across the seafood value chain.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s shrimp exports reached US$3.7 billion in the first nine months of 2026, up 11% year on year. Although growth has been supported by China and several markets within the CPTPP, momentum is slowing as exports to the United States and the European Union decline. Tariff pressures, international competition, and raw material challenges are creating significant hurdles for exporters in the final months of the year.
(vasep.com.vn) Markets are changing faster, buyer requirements are becoming more demanding, and trade barriers are growing increasingly complex. In this environment, seafood businesses need more than an understanding of current market conditions. They need a longer-term perspective to answer a critical question: Where will growth opportunities come from in 2027–2029, and what should businesses do now to prepare? This is one of the key reasons why VASEP is organizing Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026.
(vasep.com.vn) In the first eight months of 2026, Vietnam’s pangasius exports to the Middle East reached US$113 million, up 7% year on year from the same period in 2025. Growth has become more pronounced in recent months. In August alone, exports to the region totaled US$20 million, an increase of 24%. This indicates that demand for Vietnamese pangasius in the Middle East is gradually recovering after a slowdown in March, although the pace of recovery varies across markets.
(vasep.com.vn) China’s shrimp imports continued to grow strongly in 2026, while Vietnam’s shrimp exports to the market also recorded notable growth. However, behind these positive figures lie two distinct trends: Chinese consumption is growing more slowly than imports, and lobster accounts for a substantial share of Vietnam’s shrimp exports to China, making its product mix significantly different from those of Ecuador and India. Exporters therefore need to assess each segment carefully to understand the opportunities and risks.
VASEP - HIỆP HỘI CHẾ BIẾN VÀ XUẤT KHẨU THỦY SẢN VIỆT NAM
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