Agriculture Secretary Proceso J Alcala said the Department of Agriculture (DA) is proposing a PHP 4.6 billion (USD 111 million) budget for the fishery sector under its 2013 national expenditure programme, so that BFAR can recover and sustain the country’s fishery production, conservation and competitiveness measures.
Alcala, BFAR Director Asis Perez and USAID Environment Chief Rolf Anderson together introduced the “Ecosystems Improved for Sustainable Fisheries” or EcoFish, a project that seeks to safeguard and replenish eight of the country’s marine key biodiversity areas (MKBAs): Calamianes group of islands, in Palawan; Lingayen Gulf in Pangasinan; Ticao Pass and Lagonoy Gulf, in Bicol region; San Bernardino Strait, in Leyte-Samar region; Danajon Double Barrier Reef, spanning Bohol, Cebu, Leyte, Southern Negros Occidental, and Surigao; Sulu archipelago and Verde Island passage, in Batangas.
The project was designed to help achieve priority goals and actions described in the Philippine Development Plan (2011-16) in the areas of sustainable agriculture and fisheries and the conservation and rehabilitation of natural resources. It also supports the US assistance strategy to reduce threats to biodiversity and further natural resources, PIA reports.
EcoFish also seeks to make the management of important coastal and marine resources better via biological diversity conservation, ecosystem productivity enhancement and restoration of fisheries profitability.
But Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) believes something is fishy about the Ecofish Project. The group argues that it will only promote country-wide fishing ban that will harm small fishers and even commercial fishing operators all over the Philippines – and that the ulterior motive is to reserve the resources for industrial fishing fleets, Business Mirror reports.
“While the purpose is to allow regeneration of fishery resources, its overriding objective is to make sure that First World industrial fishing fleets would continue to enjoy stable supply of fish in the near future,” Fernando Hicap, national chairman of Pamalakaya, said.
Meanwhile, Alcala said BFAR recently issued Fisheries Administrative Order No 167 as part of the government’s fish conservation policy, which imposes a closed season for sardines, herrings and mackerels in the Visayas Sea and Zamboanga peninsula, from 15 November 2012 to 15 February 2013, during species’ spawning season. The ban is meant to allow the fish to reproduce and propagate.
“When there are more sardines in the sea, tuna species are attracted and feed on them. This situation eventually results to bigger catch of both sardines and tuna,” he added.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Japan continues to be one of Vietnam’s most important and stable shrimp markets. In recent years, shrimp exports to this market have fluctuated in line with Japan’s broader economic and consumption cycles, yet Japan remains a major, high-value destination with stringent standards.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In 2025, Vietnam’s tuna exports to Spain increased by 13% compared to 2024. This growth trend has continued into the first two months of 2026. According to Vietnam Customs statistics, export turnover to this market reached nearly USD 3 million in January–February 2026, up 101% year-on-year and significantly higher than the same period in 2024. This development indicates that Spain is once again becoming a notable destination for Vietnamese tuna amid strong demand for tuna raw materials and products in Europe.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The 2026 brackish water shrimp farming season in the Mekong Delta has started earlier than usual, mainly driven by positive market signals, as shrimp prices in 2025 remained high and supply was limited. Many enterprises and farms in Cần Thơ, Cà Mau, and Vĩnh Long have proactively stocked early to seize opportunities. By early 2026, stocking areas in many localities had reached a high proportion of planned targets, with intensive and high-tech farming models expanding rapidly.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tilapia exports to the United States recorded remarkable growth in 2025, opening up major opportunities while also presenting considerable challenges. The U.S. remains the largest importer of Vietnamese tilapia fillets, with export turnover reaching USD 40 million—an increase of up to 499% compared to 2024. This impressive growth reflects strong demand in the U.S. market, as supply from competing countries such as China has been constrained by tariffs and rising production costs.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Pangasius remains a strategic export commodity in Vietnam’s seafood sector. Entering 2026, the industry faces a strong need to transition from volume-based growth to a value-driven development model, with a focus on quality, food safety, and sustainability.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Following damage caused by Storm No. 13 in late 2025, brackish water shrimp farming in Gia Lai is being rapidly restored. In key farming areas such as Tuy Phước and Tuy Phước Đông, farmers are focusing on rehabilitating ponds, repairing infrastructure, and treating the environment in preparation for the 2026 crop.
(seafood.vasep.com) Facing the decline in fishery resources, Vietnam is accelerating livelihood transitions for fishermen to reduce fishing pressure and move toward sustainable development. Marine fish stocks have dropped significantly from 4.82 million tons in 2000–2005 to 3.95 million tons in 2016–2020.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s shrimp industry is entering a period of strong transformation with the emergence of various high-tech farming models, helping improve productivity and competitiveness. Over the past 5–10 years, farming practices have shifted from traditional methods to intensive and super-intensive systems, featuring lined ponds, environmental sensors, automated feeding, and data management.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) With a focus on sustainable development, high-tech application, and climate change adaptation, An Giang Province aims to maintain its brackish water shrimp production in 2026 at a level equivalent to the previous year. Specifically, output is projected to reach over 155,510 tons, serving both domestic consumption and export processing, thereby sustaining the fisheries sector’s key role in the local economic structure.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the Mekong Delta, key pangasius farming provinces such as An Giang, Dong Thap, and Can Tho are accelerating the transition toward a circular economy model, contributing to higher product value and reduced environmental impact. Instead of focusing solely on farming and processing, the pangasius value chain is increasingly utilizing by-products and waste streams to generate added value.
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