The organization gives Eurostat figures for imports of pangasius fillets by Spain, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Belgium and Italy for the period January to March this year alongside the figures for the same period in 2011 and 2010.
They make depressing reading for fisheries authorities in Vietnam, the world’s largest pangasius producer. With the exception of Belgium where imports remained steady at 2,200 metric tons (MT), and Italy where imports actually increased from 2,700 MT to 3,100 MT, imports by all the other countries declined when comparing the figures for 2012 with those for 2011.
Some falls were dramatic, for example imports by Spain, the biggest importer listed, nearly halved from 11,400 MT to 6,200 MT and imports by Poland again virtually halved from 6,000 MT to 3,100 MT.
With the exception of Germany where imports have been declining for the past two years, there were increases in imports for all other countries between 2010 and 2011.
So what has caused the crash? In Germany the blame for declining sales could be laid squarely at the door of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) which first put pangasius on its red list of species to avoid and then carried out a hatchet job on the species with the television program lambasting the methods for farming and processing it.
It might be thought that this adverse publicity would have been forgotten by now, but bad news has a habit of sticking with fish. It has taken many years for consumers to stop believing that farmed salmon is not being pumped full of antibiotics. Indeed, farmed salmon today is still not highly regarded in some quarters.
Have European consumers been put off by all the bad publicity that still surrounds pangasius? Certainly opinions in the seafood industry are against the species. That “rubbish fish” was how one senior figure in Norway described it at this year’s ESE, while a fisheries consultant said that the farming methods used in Vietnam were disgraceful — actually a swear word was used to describe them.
Does pangasius deserve this reputation? The species has been subjected to far more bacteriological, chemical and physical testing that any other. According to one insider, 29 parameters are checked on fillets from every consignment exported. No other fish is checked as much.
Problems have been found with the presence of banned substances, but not one person has been reported as being harmed in any way by eating pangasius. And while Europe is still mired in recession, sales of what must be the cheapest whitefish available should be booming.
In its Globefish Highlights, FAO says that Vietnamese pangasius is being hit by a supply shortage, disease problems, high production costs and the slowing down of traditional markets. Considering these problems the Vietnamese government, it adds, is unlikely to achieve its target export value of USD 2 billion for pangasius in 2012.
(seafoo.vasep.com.vn) Ca Mau Province is stepping up efforts to protect aquatic resources and promote transparent and sustainable fisheries, joining the country’s efforts to have the European Commission (EC) remove its “yellow card” warning for illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam has strengthened its position in China’s massive seafood market, becoming the largest lobster supplier while maintaining a dominant share of the country’s imported pangasius.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietfish 2026 was more than just a larger exhibition space. Through B2B meetings, booth discussions, production-chain visits and post-show feedback, businesses and buyers found something more concrete: suitable suppliers, processing capabilities, technology solutions, new markets and a foundation for building long-term trust and partnerships.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tilapia exports to the United States declined significantly in the first seven months of 2026. Cumulative export value reached US$18 million, down 42% from the same period in 2025. In July alone, exports amounted to just US$2 million, plunging 70%, indicating a clear slowdown in import demand from the US market.
(vasep.com.vn) At the seminar “Global Seafood Markets and the Future Workforce: Trends, Opportunities and Directions for the Sustainable Development of Vietnam’s Fisheries Sector,” held as part of VIETFISH 2026, Ms. Shirlene Maria Anthonysamy, Fisheries Officer (Markets) and GLOBEFISH Coordinator at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), presented initiatives aimed at promoting youth participation in fisheries and aquaculture.
(vasep.com.vn) In the first seven months of 2026, Vietnam’s pangasius exports to the United States reached US$189 million, down 8% year-on-year. In July alone, export value reached US$22 million, down 28%. This trend indicates that U.S. demand for pangasius imports has remained relatively cautious this year, as importers tend to maintain moderate inventory levels and limit stockpiling.
(vasep.com.vn) After three days at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC) in Ho Chi Minh City, the Vietnam International Fisheries Exhibition – VIETFISH 2026 – has successfully concluded, leaving a strong impression in terms of scale, visitor numbers, the quality of business connections, and innovative activities. With more than 14,000 m² of exhibition space, 335 companies, 568 booths, participation from representatives of 17 countries and territories, and nearly 15,000 visitors, VIETFISH 2026 has once again affirmed its role as an important meeting point for Vietnam’s and the global seafood industry.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Held as part of Vietfish 2026 from August 19–21 at SECC in Ho Chi Minh City, a series of five specialized seminars provided the seafood business community with updates on markets, technology, standards, human resources and cooperation opportunities. With the participation of experts, international organizations, government agencies and businesses from Vietnam and abroad, the seminars created an additional platform for professional exchange alongside the exhibition’s product showcases and business networking activities.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On the morning of August 19, 2026, the Vietnam International Seafood Exhibition – VIETFISH 2026 officially opened at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC) in Ho Chi Minh City. With 568 booths representing 335 companies, alongside the presence of senior government officials, local authorities, diplomatic missions and international partners, VIETFISH 2026 kicks off three days of business networking, technology exchange and market engagement under the overarching theme “Innovation and Sustainability.”
The Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) officially announces that the Vietnam International Seafood Exhibition (Vietfish 2026) will take place from August 19–21, 2026, at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC), Ho Chi Minh City.
VASEP - HIỆP HỘI CHẾ BIẾN VÀ XUẤT KHẨU THỦY SẢN VIỆT NAM
Chịu trách nhiệm: Ông Nguyễn Hoài Nam - Phó Tổng thư ký Hiệp hội
Đơn vị vận hành trang tin điện tử: Trung tâm VASEP.PRO
Trưởng Ban Biên tập: Bà Phùng Thị Kim Thu
Giấy phép hoạt động Trang thông tin điện tử tổng hợp số 138/GP-TTĐT, ngày 01/10/2013 của Bộ Thông tin và Truyền thông
Tel: (+84 24) 3.7715055 – (ext.203); email: kimthu@vasep.com.vn
Trụ sở: Số 7 đường Nguyễn Quý Cảnh, Phường An Phú, Quận 2, Tp.Hồ Chí Minh
Tel: (+84) 28.628.10430 - Fax: (+84) 28.628.10437 - Email: vasephcm@vasep.com.vn
VPĐD: số 10, Nguyễn Công Hoan, Ngọc Khánh, Ba Đình, Hà Nội
Tel: (+84 24) 3.7715055 - Fax: (+84 24) 37715084 - Email: vasephn@vasep.com.vn