Addressing a recent conference to review the sector’s performance in 2018 and launch tasks for 2019, Minister Cuong asked the sector to increase its production value by 4.25 percent with total productivity of 7.9 million tonnes.
Besides, the Directorate of Fisheries was requested to focus on implementing the Law on Fisheries and developing the sector in line with planning.
In 2018, export turnover of aquatic products hit 9 billion USD, a year-on-year increase of 8.4 percent.
Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Phung Duc Tien said Vietnam recorded its highest fishery production ever in 2018 with 7.74 million tonnes, up 7.2 percent year-on-year.
Export revenue of tra (pangasius) fish saw breakthrough growth, hitting 2.26 billion USD, up 26.4 percent.
Exports of seafood also strongly increased, with tuna shipments reaching 675 million USD (up 13.9 percent), other fish groups - 1.52 billion USD (up 15.5 percent), and the molluscous group – 785 million USD (up 9.1 percent).
Tran Dinh Luan, Vice General Director of the Directorate of Fisheries said Vietnam’s aquaculture area in 2018 was 1.3 million hectares, up 6 percent.
2018 was a prosperous year for the Vietnamese tra fish industry, with its cultivation area hitting 5,400 ha, up 3.3 percent compared to 2017.
Farming areas and processing plants of tra fish in Vietnam have received praise from inspection delegations from the US Department of Commerce, making it easier for the products to access the US market.
For the shrimp industry, in the context of a sharp drop in material shrimp price in late May, the Directorate of Fisheries recommended shrimp farmers comply with technical standard and took to value chains to reduce risks.
Regarding offshore fishing, Vietnam has 95,847 fishing ships, with 98.6 percent wooden-shell fishing vessels. A total 82 fish ports are operating in 27 coastal provinces and cities nationwide, while 58 storm shelter areas were built in 24 provinces and cities with maximum capacity of 42,464 fishing boats.
VNA
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s pangasius exports have shown encouraging signs of recovery in 2026. In the first four months of the year, total export turnover reached USD 720 million, up 17% compared to the same period last year. This result reflects improving demand across many markets, as well as the efforts of Vietnamese pangasius enterprises to maintain production, secure orders, and adapt to changing market conditions.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the first four months of 2026, Vietnam’s tilapia exports reached USD 49 million, up 151% compared to the same period in 2025. This impressive growth reflects positive momentum in the tilapia sector, with Brazil emerging as a key driver of growth, while frozen tilapia fillets continued to be the industry's leading export product.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tuna exports to the UK have shown positive signs in the first months of 2026. While the UK’s overall tuna imports from the world declined, imports from Vietnam increased strongly, indicating that there is still room for Vietnam to expand its market share. However, behind this growth, competitive pressure remains intense, especially as the UK continues to be a major market for established suppliers such as Ecuador, Mauritius, and Ghana.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Biofloc technology is being piloted in several rice–shrimp farming models in Ca Mau Province, showing initial positive results in controlling pond environments, improving shrimp seed quality, and supporting sustainable aquaculture development.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the first four months of 2026, Mexico, Brazil, and Colombia together contributed USD 108 million to Vietnam’s pangasius exports, accounting for around 15% of the industry’s total export turnover. Amid tightening global whitefish supply and slowing demand in several traditional markets, Latin America is increasingly becoming an important expansion destination for the sector.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Alongside the development of high-tech shrimp farming, Ha Tinh Province is accelerating the cultivation of high-value freshwater aquatic species, with red tilapia emerging as an effective and sustainable farming model.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tuna exports reached USD 81 million in April 2026, down 6% compared to the same period in 2025. In the first four months of the year, export turnover totaled USD 289 million, down 4.8%. Although the overall export picture has yet to brighten significantly, market trends are becoming increasingly diversified rather than moving in a single direction.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s pangasius industry is undergoing strong restructuring starting from the broodstock and fingerling segment in order to improve productivity, quality, and export competitiveness. This is considered a critical foundation for the sustainable development of the industry amid rising production costs and increasingly stringent market requirements.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) According to Vietnam Customs data, pangasius exports in April 2026 reached USD 206 million, up 18% compared to the same period in 2025 — marking another consecutive month of double-digit growth since the beginning of the year. Cumulative pangasius export turnover in the first four months of 2026 reached USD 720 million, up 17% year-on-year, reflecting the positive growth momentum of this key export product.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s shrimp exports in the first four months of 2026 maintained positive growth momentum, reaching approximately USD 1.5 billion, up 15% compared to the same period last year. However, behind this result lies diverging trends across markets, as the global shrimp industry continues to face pressure from inflation, high inventories, price competition, and increasing trade risks.
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