That could help Vietnam’s fishery sector remove the yellow card this year after the EC's third inspection in mid-2020, he said.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) reported an inspection delegation of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (DG-Mare) is scheduled to visit Vietnam from May 25 to June 5 to inspect implementation of the EC recommendations fighting IUU fishing.
If the EC inspection team continues to find illegal fishing in the third inspection this year, Vietnam will not be able to remove the yellow card and may even receive a "red card" (banning imports), according to MARD.
The fight against IUU fishing is an important factor for the EC's decision of removing the yellow card or not, the MARD reported.
Therefore, Minister Cường has requested the 28 coastal provinces to promote the fight against IUU fishing and effectively implement the Fisheries Law. The provinces must strictly control fishing vessels entering and leaving ports, product origin traceability, as well as fishing diaries and reports.
Nguyễn Quang Hùng, deputy director of MARD's General Department of Fisheries, said as of January this year, Vietnam had 13,150 ships with cruise monitoring equipment installed, including 2,372 ships with a length of over 24m and 10,778 ships with a length of 15m-24m.
That means 92 per cent of the total of over-24m-long ships have cruise monitoring equipment while only 37 per cent of ships with a length of 15m-24m have this equipment.
Cường said after two inspections in June 2018 and November 2019, the EC’s inspection team recognised Vietnam’s co-operation, transparency and honesty in providing and exchanging information during their time in Vietnam.
The country’s significant improvements in the monitoring, control and surveillance of fishing vessels have been noted, and the management process and organisation of fishing vessels through ports are carried out flexibly and effectively.
Vietnam has also made great efforts to install fishing vessel monitoring systems, disseminate regulations to vessel owners and implement gear marking fishing vessels based on the EC’s recommendations.
The EC’s inspection team also acknowledged Vietnam's efforts in increasing the management of fishing density through freezing offshore fishing fleets. Vietnam has completed a legal framework for fishing activities, including the Fisheries Law.
The sector has remained weak in managing foreign vessels visiting local ports to import fishery products. The traceability has not yet met the EC's requirements.
According to MARD, due to the EU yellow card for Vietnam's seafood products, Vietnam's exports to the EU fell by 6.5 per cent to US$390 million in 2018 and by 11.5 per cent to $345.2 million in 2019.
From being the second largest import market for Vietnam's seafood, after the yellow card, the EU has dropped to fifth, and its imports have decreased from 18 per cent to 13 per cent of Vietnam’s exports.
(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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