Nemuro city with the population of 30,000 people located in the east pole of Hokkaido island in the Okhost and Pacific Ocean water has a plentiful marine resource and fishing ground. For the past 140 years, Nemuro has been considered as a key seafood city in Japan.
With 70 percent of people operating in fisheries industry, seafood sector is regarded the cutting-edge economic sector of the city. The city’s annual fishery production reached 120,000 – 150,000 MT, mainly wild-catch with two main species of Pacific saury (sanma) and salmon.
In September 25th, Vietnam delegation visited Hanasaki Nemuro fishing port where sanma catch landings reported the highest level in Japan, visited fishing fleet of 130 vessels and wholesale fish market, kept a watch on sanma auctions, heard presentation on measures of retaining freshness of fish. On the same day, the delegation visited sanma processing plant of Eihi Reizhou Co, Ltd and listened to the company’s introduction on high tech in frozen storage and fish processing.
“Nemuro is a peaceful city. After visiting the fishing port, I really impressed that wild-caught fish is well-preserved, quickly semi-processed, thus end-products to consumers retain their freshness and delicious taste. I will popularize Nemuro sanma to Vietnam customers and hope that sanma will become popular with regional and Vietnam consumers soon”, said Mrs. Nguyen Thi Thu Sac, General Director of HAI NAM Co.,Ltd, VASEP Vice Chairwoman, and Chairwoman of VASEP Marine Product Committee.
Sanma is mainly caught in Pacific Ocean water of Japan with annual average production of 80,000 MT in which Nemuro city makes up 70 percent of total production of over 50,000 MT. In 2011, sanma production of the city reached 70,000 MT and in 2012, expected sanma production was 70,000 MT.
Sanma is annually caught in the period of three months from August to October. The period of mid and late September reported the highest production and the best quality of sanma.
Although there are over 130 fishing vessels, sanma stock in the Japanese water is maintained because all vessels obey their annual fishing quota. Each fishing trip goes off shore fishing and lands within 5 hours. Fish classifying, auctioning and semi-processing at plants are implemented within several hours. Fish is preserved in low temperature and ensured its freshness.
Vietnam delegation also has a meeting with 15 seafood enterprises of Nemuro city to discuss and negotiate frozen sanma exports to Vietnam. Seafood enterprises of both Vietnam and Nemuro believed that this is a good start and in the near time, sanma can become popular with Vietnam people due to delicious taste, being an easy to cook fish and reasonable price.
(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.
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
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