Project initiators said the aim is to boost exports and provide a sustainable means of livelihood for local fishers.
The swimming crab now accounts for the second biggest seafood export turnover in the country, with 2010 shipments valued at 110 million USD.
Around 20,000 fishers in southern Kien Giang province make a living by farming these crabs, but several problems have emerged in recent years, including environmental pollution and unstable income.
To help maintain long-term sustainability of this valuable natural resource, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) and the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers' (VASEP) Crab Council with support from the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF-Vietnam), have initiated a Fisheries Improvement Project (FIP) for blue swimming crabs in the province.
The project aims to obtain the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification for the crabs that are cultivated in the province.
"All over the world, WWF has programmes to support sustainable development for fisheries with MSC certification. With the certification, local fishers will remain a seafood source and expand exports to EU, the U.S and Japan," said Nguyen Thi Dieu Thuy, WWF Vietnam's co-ordinator for its seafood exploitation programme.
The decision to proceed towards MSC was taken in 2010 and the project began implementation from November 2012, WWF-US and WWF Vietnam have provided technical and financial support for the design of a FIP Action Plan which will take blue swimming crab towards MSC accreditation by 2016.
The actions required to get this are: stock assessment; the creation of sustainable management measures to protect the blue swimming crab from over-exploitation; strengthening data collection to feed into stock assessment and provide inputs for the fisheries management.
It also requires exploration of the fishery impacts on habitats and other species including among other things turtles; creation and functioning of a Crab Management Council (CMC); co-management among the fishermen; and strengthening of DARDs role as the principal fisheries manager.
A WWF statement said the dangers of inadequate fisheries management could result in over-exploitation, with an impact of other species. "It is therefore very important to explore ways of improving the current management system in order to preserve the long term livelihood for dependent fishing communities.
It said the objective of the project is to "maintain a sustainable volume of blue swimming crabs in Kien Giang province, facilitate a favorable environment for an effective management and participation amongst the stakeholders, strengthen enforcement through co-management." Tran Chi Vien, deputy director of DARD Kien Giang, said that is department would cooperate with VASEP Crab Council and WWF-Vietnam to continue the FIP for blue swimming crab fisheries in Kien Giang.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the first three months of 2026, Vietnam’s exports of fish cake and surimi reached USD 63 million, down 5% compared to the same period last year. Although total export value declined slightly due to decreases in some key markets, many other destinations continued to post strong growth, opening up room for this convenience-oriented processed segment in the coming quarters.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Favorable weather conditions in the early months of 2026 have brought encouraging signs for fisheries activities in Quang Tri. Output has grown steadily, contributing to improved livelihoods for local residents.
Entering 2026, Vietnam’s seafood industry is facing a period of both high expectations and mounting pressures. Following the positive recovery in 2025, production and export activities in Q1/2026 demonstrated the strong adaptability of Vietnam’s seafood business community amid continued global trade volatility, intensifying international competition, and increasingly stringent compliance requirements in import markets.
(vasep.com.vn) In the first quarter of 2026, Vietnam’s shrimp exports reached USD 1.069 billion, up 17.5% compared to the same period in 2025. This is a positive result amid an uneven global shrimp market recovery, intensifying competition among major suppliers, and continued volatility in the international trade environment. However, this growth does not reflect a broad-based recovery across the entire sector, but rather is driven mainly by strong performance in a few markets and specific product segments—most notably lobster exports to China.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tuna exports continued to decline in March 2026. Cumulatively, in the first three months of the year, export value reached USD 208 million, down 4% compared to the same period in 2025. The export landscape shows clear divergence across markets: while the U.S. and EU remain challenging, markets such as Russia, the Middle East, Egypt, the Philippines, and Mexico have emerged as growth bright spots.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In Quang Ngai Province, shrimp farming costs are rising sharply due to लगातार increases in feed, fuel, and input material prices, while farm-gate shrimp prices are declining. This has significantly reduced farmers’ profit margins and increased production risks.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tilapia exports are experiencing impressive growth, reflecting expanding global demand as well as the sector’s development potential. However, behind the strong growth figures lie limitations in production capacity and supply chains, highlighting the need for sustainable development in the coming period.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s pangasius exports to the Middle East in 2025 and early 2026 have shown notable growth. However, escalating geopolitical tensions in the region have increasingly impacted export activities since March. This situation presents a challenge of balancing market expansion opportunities with rising trade risks.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The Quang Tri Department of Agriculture and Environment has instructed localities to base their stocking schedules on actual conditions in each farming area, while developing plans, allocating resources, and implementing synchronized measures for disease prevention and disaster risk management in aquaculture production.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the first two months of 2026, Vietnam’s exports of fish cakes and surimi exceeded USD 45 million, up 7% compared to the same period in 2025, indicating a positive outlook for this product segment amid recovering demand in many markets.
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