During the period, the Government and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) along with the business community and parties involved in the seafood production chain have taken synchronous measures from perfecting the legal framework, tightening the management over fishing vessels, increasing punishments on illegal fishing, and improving the awareness of fishermen and businesses of IUU fishing.
All these activities are aimed at regaining the EC’s green card and developing sustainable and responsible fisheries, said Nguyen Quang Hung, deputy head of the MARD’s Directorate of Fisheries, in an interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency.
According to the official, the EC’s yellow card has affected the export of Vietnamese seafood. Examinations on material origin were conducted on all consignments to the EU, which caused a loss of around 7,000 EUR per container.
The warning has had negative impact on the prestige of the Vietnamese fishery sector as Europe is one of the largest importers of Vietnamese seafood, he added.
Therefore, Vietnam has taken national efforts to have the yellow card removed, which brought about positive outcomes.
Hung noted that there is only one case of illegal fishing by Vietnamese fishermen in island states in the Pacific, while 11 other cases happened in bordering waters that are yet to be delimited between Vietnam and other countries.
The official highlighted the actions taken by the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers, which has called on enterprises not to purchase products exploited illegally, and issued a white book naming violated fishing vessels so that processors and exporters do not buy these vessels’ products.
Hung continued by saying that the warning from the European Union creates pressure for Vietnam to improve its fishery sector.
All the nine recommendations made by the EC are significant to the sector, he said, adding that the recommendations were put into the Law on Fisheries which will become effective in January 2019.
The Prime Minister also signed Decision No.78 approving a national action plan on preventing, reducing and eliminating IUU from now to 2025.
For long-term measures, Hung stressed the need to tighten management over fishing vessels, especially those operating offshore, review the development plan for the domestic fishing fleet in alignment with the seafood reserves, and intensify the enforcement of seafood origin and fishing diary declarations in line with regional and international regulations.
In September 2017, the European Commission issued a yellow card warning Vietnam for failing to progress in fighting IUU fishing.
After April 23, the EU will assess Vietnam’s efforts to fight IUU fishing. The "yellow card" is followed by a "green card" if the problem is resolved or a "red card" if it isn’t. A “red card” can lead to a trade ban on fishery products.
VNA
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) By the end of 2025, Vietnam’s seafood industry had left a strong mark with export turnover reaching nearly $11.3 billion, up 12.4% year-on-year. This robust performance reflects not only a rebound in global consumption demand but also the agile adaptation of domestic firms in navigating increasingly stringent trade barriers.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) According to the 2025 review and 2026 outlook conference held by the Directorate of Fisheries and Fisheries Surveillance on the afternoon of January 7, Vietnam’s seafood sector has set a total production target of over 10 million tons in 2026, representing a 0.6% increase year-on-year. Of this total, capture fisheries are projected at around 3.75 million tons (down 2.1%), while aquaculture output is expected to reach 6.25 million tonnes (up 2.2%) compared with 2025.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Sao Ta Food JSC (Fimex, Ticker: FMC) has announced its 2025 business results, reporting revenue of over $300 million (approximately 7.8 trillion VND), representing a 19.8% increase year-on-year; projected profit is expected to reach approximately 420 billion VND.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s fisheries sector concluded 2025 with landmark achievements: export turnover reached a record high, despite heightened volatility in global trade and increasingly stringent barriers from major markets, most notably the United States. Amid a mix of opportunities and challenges, the fisheries sector also witnessed important policy shifts. Together, these developments form a multifaceted picture of an industry proactively adapting and restructuring toward a trajectory of sustainable development.
(seafoos.vasep.com.vn) According to the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Vinh Long, the province’s shrimp farming area reached 69,800 hectares in 2025, including 7,500 hectares under high-tech farming models, 18,820 tons of black tiger shrimp and 293,000 tons of whiteleg shrimp.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Building on a robust growth momentum in 2025, Nghe An province has set a strategic goal to reach a total fisheries output of 270,000 tons by 2026, reinforcing its position as a key hub for aquaculture and exploitation.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Can Tho City statistics indicate that in 2025, following the merger of three former administrative entities - Can Tho, Hau Giang and Soc Trang - fisheries output in 2025 increased by 6.23% compared with 2024 with aquaculture production nearly 9.1 times higher than capture fisheries.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) According to the Ca Mau Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Ca Mau province has achieved significant, comprehensive and substantive progress in combating IUU fishing in 2025, successfully fulfilling all tasks directed by the central government and strengthening fisheries governance. These efforts have established a solid foundation for the nationwide effort to lift the EC’s "yellow card" warning.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Ca Mau has exceeded its 2025 production targets, reaching nearly 595,000 tons of shrimp. This milestone reinforces the province’s position as Vietnam’s leading shrimp producer and a bright spot in the country’s seafood sector.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) According to Vietnam Customs data, cumulative shrimp exports from the beginning of the year through November reached $4.3 billion, up 21% year-on-year, continuing to serve as the primary growth driver of the entire seafood sector. In November alone, export turnover amounted to $393 million, up 14%.
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