Attending the meeting, representatives from An Giang Department of Agriculture and Environment included Mr. Ho Thanh Binh – Deputy Director of the Department, Mr. Le Van Tinh – Deputy Head of the Sub-Department of Fisheries and Fisheries Surveillance, and representatives from the Sub-Department of Sea and Islands.
VASEP side included Mr. Nguyen Hoai Nam – VASEP’s General Secretary, Ms. Tran Thuy Que Phuong – VASEP’s Deputy General Secretary, Ms. Tran Thi Hien – Office Secretary, and Dr. Vu Viet Ha – Head of Marine Research Department, Research Institute for Marine Fisheries (RIMF) – Technical Consultant for the project, along with representatives from several crab-sector member enterprises, including Mai Linh Co., Ltd., Huy Nam Seafoods Co.,Ltd, and Pataya Food Industries (Vietnam) Limited.
At the meeting, both parties discussed the continuation of the Blue Swimming Crab Fishery Improvement Project (FIP), agreeing to research and formulate a cooperation agreement on activities to maintain the FIP for the blue swimming crab fishery, helping the crab sector develop sustainably. Concurrently, the two sides will coordinate to demonstrate the sustainability of the crab fishery—a crucial basis for Vietnam to petition the US side to reconsider its refusal to grant equivalence under the MMPA regulations.
According to VASEP’s report, the results from the Blue Swimming Crab Fishery Improvement Program (FIP), which has been implemented since 2012 and achieved Level A recognition by the FisheryProgress system in September 2025, show that the blue/red swimming crab fishery in Vietnam does not interact with marine mammals and does not cause significant impact on endangered, threatened, and protected aquatic species (ETP).
The representative of An Giang Department of Agriculture and Environment highly appreciated VASEP’s efforts in coordinating with localities and businesses to protect the prestige and image of Vietnamese seafood in the international market. The Department affirmed its commitment to close coordination with the Association and related units to implement subsequent activities, especially the work of data collection and demonstrating the sustainability of the local crab fishery.
Speaking at the session, Mr. Nguyen Hoai Nam – VASEP’s General Secretary emphasized: “The removal of the MMPA barrier is significant not only for the crab sector but also for the reputation of the entire Vietnamese seafood industry, directly impacting the livelihoods of tens of thousands of coastal fishermen and workers in the supply chain.”
The working session opened a specific direction for cooperation between VASEP and the locality in developing an action plan, collecting scientific data, and preparing the explanatory dossier for submission to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in the near future.
This activity is part of VASEP's ongoing efforts, along with domestic and international partners, to maintain Vietnam’s crab exports to the US market and ensure the sustainable and responsible development of the marine fisheries sector.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Can Tho’s fishery industry sustained steady growth in 2025 with total aquatic and marine output reaching nearly 783,000 tons, fulfilling 100% of the annual target. Aquaculture, capture fisheries and fishing fleet management were further strengthened, aiming for sustainable development in the coming years.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In 2025, Vietnam’s pangasius export turnover reached nearly USD 2.2 billion, up 8% year-on-year. This result indicates that pangasius exports maintained their growth momentum despite significant volatility in the global market environment. In December 2025, pangasius export value reached USD 200 million, up 10% compared to December 2024. This solid performance in the final month of the year reflects increased import demand for consumption and inventory replenishment in key markets.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In 2025, Vietnam’s tuna exports to Spain experienced significant fluctuations. According to Vietnam Customs, during the first 11 months of 2025, export turnover for the first 11 months of the year edged up by 0.3% year-on-year, reaching nearly $15 million.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Deputy Prime Minister Bui Thanh Son has signed Decision No. 16/QD-TTg, dated January 5, 2026, approving the implementation plan for the Vietnam-Israel Free Trade Agreement (VIFTA). Under the plan, in the coming period, ministries, ministerial-level agencies, government-affiliated entities and People’s Committees of provinces and centrally-run cities must institutionalize and execute tasks focused on the dissemination of information regarding VIFTA and the Israeli market; legislative and institutional development, as well as enhancing competitiveness and human resource growth...
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Beyond achieving double-digit growth, Vietnam’s fish cake and surimi exports are showing a notable year-end "inflection point": the EU his accelerating with nearly twofold growth, China & Hong Kong are rising sharply, while the largest market, South Korea, signaled a slowdown in November. According to Vietnam Customs data, export turnover of fish cake and surimi reached $327 million in the first 11 months of 2025, up 22% year-on-year; November 2025 alone accounted for $35 million, marking a 5% increase. This serves as a critical foundation for exporters to reassess market structures and competitive intensity while finalizing order strategies for 2026.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Ca Mau, widely regarded as the nation’s “shrimp capital”, continued its strong performance in 2025 as shrimp output reached nearly 600,000 tons, maintaining its position as Vietnam’s leading shrimp-producing locality.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On December 29, 2025, at the 2025 Pangasius Industry Review Conference held in Can Tho City, the Vietnam Pangasius Association announced that fingerling prices have surged to record levels due to acute supply shortages.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) While Vietnam’s shrimp exports to the EU maintained positive growth momentum in 2025, several new regulations related to animal welfare are transitioning from “ethical recommendations” to mandatory requirements, likely reshaping the shrimp supply chain for this market from 2026 onwards.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s seafood exports reached $989.5 million in November 2025, up 64.6% year-on-year. The robust monthly performance played a pivotal role in driving the total export turnover for the first 11 months of 2025 to $10.5 billion, representing a 19% increase compared with the same period in 2024.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s crab exports reached USD 81 million in the first 11 months of 2025, with the United States accounting for more than 82% of total value. While newly imposed reciprocal tariffs and the enforcement of provisions under the U.S. Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) pose significant challenges for Vietnam, the European Union is emerging as a promising growth market.
VASEP - HIỆP HỘI CHẾ BIẾN VÀ XUẤT KHẨU THỦY SẢN VIỆT NAM
Chịu trách nhiệm: Ông Nguyễn Hoài Nam - Phó Tổng thư ký Hiệp hội
Đơn vị vận hành trang tin điện tử: Trung tâm VASEP.PRO
Trưởng Ban Biên tập: Bà Phùng Thị Kim Thu
Giấy phép hoạt động Trang thông tin điện tử tổng hợp số 138/GP-TTĐT, ngày 01/10/2013 của Bộ Thông tin và Truyền thông
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