(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On May 11, 2026, the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced a positive comparability finding for Vietnam’s swimming crab fisheries, along with those of Indonesia and Sri Lanka, under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). With this decision, seafood and seafood products harvested from Vietnam’s swimming crab fisheries will continue to be eligible for import into the US market.

(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In 2025, Vietnam’s crab exports reached nearly USD 86 million, up almost 6% compared to 2024. A notable feature of 2025 was the strong market concentration in the United States, which accounted for more than 81% of Vietnam’s total crab export value, up 10% from the previous year. In contrast, exports to several Asian markets declined significantly, resulting in only modest overall growth for the year.

(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Among Vietnam’s wild-caught sector,blue swimming crab fishing is one of the sectors with the highest export value, ranking only after tuna fishing and currently employing around 20,000 fishers. Vietnam’s crab fishing focuses mainly on two species: the red swimming crab and the blue swimming crab (BSC). While red swimming crab is caught across the country, blue BSC is primarily harvested in An Giang province.