GENERAL INFORMATION

Vietnam, with a coastline of over 3,260 kilometers (km) and more than 3,000 islands and islets scattered offshore, plus up to 2,860 rivers and estuaries, has been geographically endowed with ideal conditions for the thriving fishery sector which currently exists.

Great potential of fishery sector in Vietnam is embedded in water bodies of 1.700.000 ha in which 811.700 ha freshwater, 635.400 ha brackish waters and 125.700 ha coves and 300.000 - 400.000 ha wetland areas might be employed for aquaculture development.

The Mekong River Delta in the south and the Red River Delta in the north have been used for wild catch fishing as well as extensive fish farming.

Shrimp and pangasius mostly farmed in the Mekong River Delta, in which, shrimp farmes located in coastal provinces such as Tra Vinh, Bac Lieu, Soc Trang, Ca Mau, Kien Giang, Ben Tre..

Pangasius farming is developing in many provinces in Mekong River Delta such as Can Tho, Vinh Long, Tien Giang, An Giang, Dong Thap, Soc Trang, Hau Giang, Tra Vinh....

Production in the fishery sector grew at an average rate of 7.05% from 1991 to 2000, and 10% from 2001 to now. The country produces annually over 6 million MT of fish, in which its landings reached 2.7 million MT and aquaculture reached 3.3 million MT. In 2021, total fisheries production reached 8.7 million MT, including 3.9 million tons from catching and 4.85 million tons from aquaculture.

Available fish sources

Vietnam is expected to become one of the world’s top shrimp producers thanks to its positive response to the COVID-19 pandemic and its modern shrimp farming models, according to industry insiders.

A species of crab in Nam Can district and a fish sauce hot pot in the U Minh Forest in the southernmost province of Ca Mau have been listed among the Top 100 specialties in Vietnam in 2020-2021 by the Vietnam Record Organisation (Vietkings).

The southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau has ordered its Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to get tougher on illegal fishing in foreign waters by local fishing ships and their owners.

Farmers in the Mekong Delta province of Tien Giang are raising the fry of high - value aquatic species on an area of more than 6,000ha this year, up marginally from last year, according to the province’s Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

The Mekong Delta province of Kien Giang has planned to further promote sustainable marine aquaculture in line with the “Strategy for the Sustainable Development of Vietnam’s Marine Economy by 2030 with a Vision to 2045”.

Dozens of households in the Mekong Delta province of Tra Vinh have begun sea crab breeding this year, with 37 million baby crabs on a total area of 7,330 ha.

(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In 2020, the country's seafood production has reached 8.4 million tons, a slight increase of 3% compared to 2019, of which aquaculture accounts for 54% with nearly 4.6 million tons. accounting for 46% with over 3.8 million tons. Seafood exports reached 8.4 billion USD, down 1.9% compared to 2019, of which aquaculture (shrimp, pangasius) accounted for 62% with 5.2 billion USD, captured seafood accounted for 38% with 3.2 billion USD.

The Mekong Delta province of Kien Giang targets an average annual growth rate of 24 per cent for marine aquaculture from now to 2030.

The Cửu Long (Mekong) Delta province of Cà Mau plans to maintain its shrimp farming area at 280,000ha between 2021 and 2025, with an increased output.

The Mekong Delta province of Tra Vinh is taking various steps to develop climate change-resilient aquaculture, setting its sights on expanding the local aquaculture area by 2,500 ha to reach 40,000 ha by 2030.,

The Mekong Delta province of Tra Vinh is taking various steps to develop climate change-resilient aquaculture, setting its sights on expanding the local aquaculture area by 2,500 ha to reach 40,000 ha by 2030.

(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam sets a target achieving seafood export turnover of US$14-16 billion by 2030 and creates jobs for 3.5 million workers. By 2045, fisheries will be a modern commercial economy, a deep seafood processing hub, which belongs to the group of three leading countries in the world.

(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam needs to implement measures to trace the origin of seafood, determined to implement the recommendations of the European Commission to remove the IUU yellow card.

Fishermen and seasonal workers are working hard making a seafood product that Phu Quoc is particularly famous for: dried anchovy.

(vasep.com.vn) In 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic spread out all over the world that had a tremendous impact on the world tuna industry in general and the Vietnamese tuna industry in particular. Despite the difficulties, Vietnamese tuna processing and exporting enterprises have still been making efforts to overcome drawbacks.