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) 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.
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