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
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s seafood exports reached US$1.14 billion in August 2026, up 6.4% year on year, bringing the total for the first eight months to more than US$8.0 billion, an increase of 11.9%. Monthly export value remained above US$1 billion, but August growth was only around half the rate recorded cumulatively through the first eight months. This indicates that the eight-month result was supported significantly by stronger performance in earlier months, while market conditions are entering a less predictable period.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Pangasius is attracting growing interest from Japanese seafood companies as prices of many traditional whitefish species remain high and supply becomes increasingly volatile. Notably, seafood group Kyokuyo has recently continued to feature pangasius among its priority products, highlighting its competitive pricing and stable supply.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) As Vietnam’s tilapia industry searches for new growth opportunities, venturing into brackish-water aquaculture could unlock a formidable competitive moat. Bypassing the volume-and-price bloodbath against established global heavyweights, Vietnam could differentiate itself through high-quality tilapia products tailored to specific farming conditions and value-added market segments.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) 2026 is rapidly shaping up to be a formidable stress test for Vietnamese pangasius exports to the United States. While exports to alternative markets maintain a resilient growth trajectory, the U.S market has declined significantly. In the first eight months of the year, pangasius exports to the U.S fell by nearly 14% year-on-year, with August alone recording a decline of more than 50%. The trend shows that difficulties in the U.S. market are not driven solely by weak consumer demand, but also by multiple layers of trade barriers that are intensifying simultaneously, particularly additional import tariffs, anti-dumping duties and growing protectionism for the domestic catfish industry.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s pangasius exports to Japan are showing positive signals in 2026, indicating that the market is opening up greater opportunities for pangasius products, particularly processed and value-added products. In the first seven months of 2026, Vietnam’s pangasius exports to Japan reached US$31 million, up 20% year-on-year. In July alone, export value reached approximately US$5 million, up 30%.
On July 22, 2026, the Government issued Decree No. 292/2026/ND-CP detailing certain articles and providing measures for the organization and implementation of the Law on Foreign Trade Management. The Decree takes effect on September 5, 2026, replacing Decree No. 69/2018/ND-CP.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnamese pangasius producer Vinh Hoan has won the top prize at the 2026 Seafood Excellence Asia Awards for its Cured Panga Croquette, highlighting the growing potential of value-added pangasius products in international markets.
(vasep.com.vn) The Global Shrimp Forum (GSF) 2026 is taking place from September 1–3 in Utrecht, the Netherlands, bringing together around 585 delegates from 40 countries, representing approximately 300 companies and organizations across the shrimp supply chain. Representatives from VASEP are attending the event as part of the Vietnamese delegation, strengthening connections with partners across the global shrimp industry.
(vasep.com.vn) At the international B2B seminar (Hosted Buyer Program) held as part of Vietfish 2026, Mr. Nguyen Hoang Pham, Sales Director of Tai Kim Anh Seafood Processing Joint Stock Company, delivered a presentation entitled “Vietnam’s Shrimp Industry: Changing for Sustainability.” From the perspective of a seafood processor, the presentation highlighted that Vietnam’s shrimp industry continues to play a leading role in seafood exports, but is entering a new phase of competition in which change is no longer an option, but a prerequisite for growth.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) VIETFISH 2026 may have concluded after three dynamic days in Ho Chi Minh City, but conversations around the exhibition continue to resonate across international trade media, industry organizations, and the social media channels of participating companies.
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