While the new EU rules do not take effect until December 2014, the “industry is supposed to be getting its house in order and coming into compliance,” Paul Williams, chief executive of U.K. seafood association Seafish, told SeafoodSource.
“The horse meat scandal has accelerated the emphasis on [labeling rules] and brings up the issue of trusting suppliers of seafood as well,” Williams said.
Consumers surveyed about the horse meat issue said they were less bothered by the fact that they were eating horse meat, but by the fact that they perceived suppliers were cheating and lying to them, according to Williams. “We have to show that we are an industry that the consumer can trust. When something is labeled as cod, haddock, or whatever, we have to make sure it is what it is,” Williams said.
To that end, new E.U. food labeling regulations would require country-of-origin labeling on meat and seafood. The public comment period for seafood labeling regulations drafted by the U.K. Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) closed at the end of January. While Seafish supports the guidelines, the industry does not see the need for seafood to be designated by the vessel on which it is caught, as proposed.
“Labeling by the vessel that caught the fish isn’t very useful information: you could have a flagged vessel anywhere in the world,” Williams said. “The most useful thing for the consumer is knowing where the fish is caught, such as the U.K.,” he added.
The U.K. government proposed country-of-origin labeling rules for seafood in 2011, shortly after a university investigation found mislabeled seafood in the country’s supermarkets and restaurants. “When you go into fish and chip shops, you can pick up the wrong piece of fish accidentally, but there have been documented cases of deliberate substitution,” Williams said.
The U.K. mislabeling incidents remind Williams of the recent Oceana investigation in the U.S., which found that nearly a third of seafood in grocery stores and restaurants were mislabeled. “I think we are pretty tight in the U.K., particular for retailers, and better than the Oceana report showed in the U.S.,” Williams said. Still, Williams says the U.K. seafood industry must do everything in its power to maintain and improve consumer trust in the supply chain.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) According to a report by the General Statistics Office, the estimated pangasius output for January 2025 reached 102.5 thousand tons, representing a 6.0% increase compared to the corresponding period of the preceding year. This surge is attributed to the rise in pangasius material prices within the Mekong Delta, which has incentivized aquaculture farmers to expand their stocking activities. Concurrently, this price increase has facilitated processing enterprises to intensify procurement efforts to meet export demands during the early part of the year.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Between 2015 and 2024, Vietnamese pangasius exporting enterprises have undergone notable transformations in rankings and experienced fluctuations in developmental strategies, competitive intensity, and business efficacy. This dynamic is clearly illustrated through shifts in export turnover and the proportional contribution to the national pangasius export volume among the Top 5 enterprises.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The outlook for Vietnam’s seafood exports remains positive, with a strong focus on maintaining growth in key markets like China and the U.S., while diversifying into new regions. As global trade policies continue to evolve, adaptability and strategic planning will be key to navigating the challenges ahead.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Thanks to improved pangasius prices and higher production, Vĩnh Hoàn's after-tax profit in Q4 2024 reached VND 440 billion, a 4.8-fold increase compared to the same period last year.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) According to data from Vietnam’s Customs, in Q4 2024, Vietnam’s pangasius exports to China & Hong Kong reached USD 163 million, a 17% increase compared to the same period in 2023, with consistent growth across all months. The total value of pangasius exports to China & Hong Kong for 2024 reached USD 581 million, a 1% increase over the previous year.
Vietnam’s seafood exports are projected to maintain strong growth this year, potentially reaching 11 billion USD.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the final quarter of 2024, Vietnam’s surimi and fish cake exports showed consistent growth over the last three months. For the entire year 2024, exports of these products reached USD 298 million, down 2% compared to 2023. However, the final quarter saw more promising signs for the surimi and fish cake export sector, with some markets experiencing notable growth, such as Thailand, China, and Taiwan. Particularly, exports to Taiwan, which had seen continuous declines in the previous two quarters, surged by 301% in this quarter.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Another year of pride for Vietnam's pangasius exports has concluded, reaching over USD 2 billion and contributing 20% to Vietnam's total seafood export turnover.
Vietnam maintained its position as the fifth-largest seafood exporter to Singapore for 12 consecutive months, surpassing Japan for the first time in 2024, amid the intensifying competition in this market.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Despite facing numerous challenges in the second half of the year, Vietnam's canned tuna exports concluded 2024 with a 17% increase compared to 2023, reaching USD 299 million. To maintain this growth momentum in 2025, the canned tuna production and export sector requires coordinated efforts from all stakeholders.
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