Organic aquaculture has proved to be a successful niche market in the European Union and Canada.
There is also a big demand for organic products in the US, as people want confidence in what they are buying, said George Lockwood, Chair of the USDA official Aquaculture Working Group.
Big sales of EU organic products have overtaken sales of domestic salmon in some areas and organic production could help the US catfish industry compete with cheaper imports, so having its own organic product range would be very beneficial to the US industry.
Despite this demand and 15 years on, the standard is still in the making, with one delay after another on posting a proposed Final Rule for organic aquaculture. Speaking to TheFishSite, Mr Lockwood said he is concerned over the delays and thinks the strong voice of anti-aquaculture groups in the US may be to blame. "In early 2010, after much consideration, the National Organic Standard Board officially recommended a comprehensive set of proposed rules to National Organic Programme (NOP). The next step in 2010 would have been for NOP to officially and immediately go into final rulemaking with these recommendations.
However, NOP failed to do anything until early 2013 when they finally assembled a team of four USDA employees to pursue final rule making," said Mr Lockwood. "We were told that their work would be completed later that year with the official posting of a set of proposed rules well before the end of 2013. The next step after posting would be to seek and receive public comments. We have yet to see a proposed rule from NOP. "The most recent promised posting date of later in April 2014 is apparently slipping, and we have been unable to learn anything about a new proposed date or why there is one more delay after many early delays," continued Mr Lockwood. The Aquaculture Working Group also recently petitioned for the inclusion of 10 synthetic substances in the standard. These substances, which include chlorine, vitamins, trace minerals, carbon dioxide and vaccines, are all essential to aquaculture and there can be no organic aquaculture production without them, said Mr Lockwood.
However, the NOP is refusing to allow the Aquaculture Working Group from advising the USDA National Organic Standards Board Livestock Committee on how these materials are actually used in aquaculture, said Mr Lockwood. Mr Lockwood stated that he therefore fears that the USDA National Organic Standards Board will not adopt the use of these materials in workable and sensible ways.
(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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