WWF’s members in 6 EU countries (Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, Norway and Denmark put Vietnam pangasius in to the Red List” (product shouldn’t be used) from the Orange List (product that can be considered for use) in WWF’s Seafood Guide for fish lovers 2010. The information was withdrawed from survey on assessing over 100 fish species in the world under WWF’s renewed criteria for sustainable development.
Vietnam rejected WWF International’s assessment on Vietnam pangasius at some respects. If the assessment was carried out in right way with consultation of relevant multi-sides and experts in fish production, pangasius should be placed at blue or near blue list.
WWF based on data collected from 89 farms with area of 360 hectares and 28 farming establishments and 4 hatcheries from an other document to release evaluations on pangasius.
The organizations didn’t use to visit Vietnam and provided evaluations only based on available documents. Research method set out by WWF International, the North Sea Foundation (NSF), the Marine Conservation Society (MCS) was relied on 19 questions. These questions depend on answers from many different people, leading different conclusions.
December 15th 2010:
Directorate of Fisheries (D-Fish), Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), Viet Nam Fisheries Society (VINAFIS) and some other Ministries had a dialogue with WWF International delegation led by Mr. Mark Powell, WWF's Global Seafood Programme director. At the direct dialogue, WWF agreed to remove Vietnam Pangasius from the Red List in Seafood Guide and recommended consumers to continue using this product.
Mr. Mark Powell was highly appreciated Vietnam pangasius quality that is on sale in the EU markets and a lot of other foreign markets. He himself loves this product. He emphasized that Seafood Guide for Consumers was just a guide to advice consumers on purchasing environmentally friendly and sustainable products and should not be seen as a trade barrier that the U.S imposed on Vietnam fish.
Mr. Mark Powell admitted his mistake in assessing the facts on Vietnam Pangasius only based on available data of 2008-2009 without considering reality.
December 17th 2010:
Under witness by D-Fish, WWF International and WWF Vietnam, VINAFIS and VASEP signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on sustainable development cooperation of pangasius production sector. Accordingly, VINAFIS and VASEP were in charge of popularizing information and training fish farmers and producers towards sustainable development. WWF International and WWF Vietnam must realize its 5 commitments, including the withdrawal of pangasius from WWF’s Red List, financial and human resource assistance to help Vietnam fish industry develop in a sustainable way.
After the MoU, WWF’s members in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, Norway and Denmark withdrew Vietnam fish out of the Red List. WWF Sweden is the last one to implement this commitment.
Vietnam Pangasius is now placed in a new “towards certification” category of WWF’s Seafood Guide for consumers in EU countries.
(vasep.com.vn) Amid ongoing volatility in global seafood trade, Vietnam’s crab exports have made a fairly positive start to 2026. According to Vietnam Customs statistics, export turnover in the first two months of 2026 reached nearly USD 55 million, up 24% compared to the same period in 2025 and more than 2.2 times higher than in the same period of 2024. This indicates that crab exports are entering 2026 with stronger growth momentum, particularly in Asian markets.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Da Nang City has fully implemented all recommendations from the European Commission (EC) regarding the fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, creating an important foundation for the removal of the “yellow card” in the near future.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In Hoa Vang district (Da Nang City), red tilapia farming is demonstrating clear economic efficiency, becoming a promising livelihood that helps many households increase their income. A notable example is the model of Mr. Huynh Ngoc Nam, who operates two red tilapia ponds covering more than 4 hectares, generating stable annual income.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In Gia Vien district, tilapia farming—particularly the “duong nghiep” strain—is expanding rapidly and gradually becoming an efficient production model for local farmers. Hatcheries in the area are supplying high-quality, uniform, and disease-free fingerlings, meeting the growing demand for commercial farming.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On the afternoon of March 19, Vice Chairman of the Ca Mau Provincial People’s Committee, Le Van Su, chaired a meeting to address bottlenecks and propose solutions to expand the super-intensive whiteleg shrimp farming model using low water exchange and high biosecurity standards (RAS-IMTA).
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On March 10, 2026, the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee issued Decision No. 1377/QD-UBND approving the Aquatic Animal Disease Prevention and Control Plan for the 2026–2030 period. The decision takes effect from the date of signing and replaces previous plans for the 2021–2030 period that had been issued prior to the administrative merger in Ba Ria – Vung Tau, Binh Duong, and Ho Chi Minh City.
(vasep.com.vn) In 2025, Chile imported more than USD 156 million worth of tuna, up 8.1% compared to the previous year and the highest level in the past five years. As the supply structure in this market is rapidly shifting, Vietnamese tuna is facing both opportunities to expand market share and increasing competitive pressure from Thailand, Colombia, and China.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vinh Long Province is stepping up efforts to develop brackish water shrimp farming in a sustainable direction, identifying it as a key sector in its agricultural structure. In 2026, the province aims to reach around 71,300 hectares of shrimp farming, with an output of over 314,000 tons.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Ha Tinh Province is strengthening control over shrimp seed quality to minimize risks for the 2026 spring–summer farming season.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In February 2026, Vietnam’s pangasius exports reached USD 119 million, down slightly 5% year-on-year. However, thanks to strong performance in January, cumulative exports in the first two months of the year still reached USD 331 million, up 28% compared to the same period in 2025. Export activity slowed somewhat in February due to seasonal factors, particularly the Lunar New Year holiday, which disrupted production and shipments at many seafood processing enterprises.
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
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