Fisheries assert position as a spearhead economic sector

At the first National Conference on Fisheries Science and Technology and Fisheries Surveillance in 2026, held on April 28, Dr. Tran Dinh Luan, Director General of the Department of Fisheries and Surveillance, stated that Viet Nam’s fisheries sector has many opportunities thanks to its advantages as a tropical coastal country, rich biodiversity, strong resource regeneration capacity, and a diverse aquaculture ecosystem ranging from cold-water farming to offshore marine aquaculture.

Reducing capture fishing, boosting aquaculture

Bài liên quan

Science and technology taking Viet Nam’s seafood to the next level

In particular, the Mekong Delta holds significant potential advantages, coupled with modern processing capacity, enabling the sector to integrate more deeply and meet the growing demands of global markets.

However, according to Dr. Tran Dinh Luan, the sector also faces numerous challenges, including climate change, environmental pollution in farming areas, trade barriers, especially the “yellow card”, and increasingly stringent international standards with high compliance costs, along with infrastructure limitations and the serious depletion of aquatic resources.

In addition to capture fisheries, Viet Nam still has considerable potential for aquaculture of high-value species such as seaweed, pearl oysters, lobsters, marine fish, and mollusks.

“These are not only nutritious food sources but also important raw materials for processing and export,” Dr. Luan emphasized, adding that results from the 2021-2025 period show a trend of declining capture output and increasing aquaculture, although targets set in the strategy have yet to be fully achieved.

Aquaculture production rose from 4.88 million tonnes to 6.11 million tonnes, while exports reached USD 11.3 billion in 2025, approaching the target of USD 14-16 billion by 2030. Brackish water shrimp accounted for over 40% of export value; pangasius production reached 1.98 million tonnes, moving toward a target of 2-2.5 million tonnes by 2030. Meanwhile, capture output declined by an average of 0.9% per year to protect resources and respond to the European Commission’s IUU “yellow card” warning.

“This serves as a foundation for us to change our approach and the application of science and technology, enabling the fisheries and fisheries surveillance sector to make breakthroughs in the coming period,” Dr. Luan emphasized.

Thanks to a focus on deep processing and the removal of technical barriers, fisheries export turnover reached USD 11.3 billion in 2025, contributing more than 16% of the total export value of the agricultural sector.

Regarding capture fisheries, he noted that output remains largely stable, with the fishing fleet numbering around 79,000-80,000 vessels. The system of fishing ports and traceability mechanisms has been strengthened to combat illegal fishing.

Currently, the country has 823 industrial-scale processing facilities, of which 82% are modern freezing plants, creating a significant competitive advantage. Notably, leading enterprises such as Minh Phu and Vinh Hoan play a pivotal role in bringing products into demanding markets such as the United States, the EU, Japan, and South Korea.

Efforts to protect aquatic resources have been intensified through programs on resource assessment, stock enhancement, fishing control, and maritime patrols.

“Fisheries exports are clearly recovering as markets gradually rebound, opening up growth opportunities in the near future,” Dr. Luan stressed.

Restructuring towards sustainability

According to a representative of the Department of Fisheries and Surveillance, a sustainable development strategy is not solely about economic growth. The fisheries sector has been implementing a wide range of synchronized solutions and major programs, including strengthening the protection of marine ecosystems, with a target of safeguarding 6% of natural marine areas by 2030.

Stock enhancement through the release of aquatic species and co-management with local communities has been expanded. The fisheries surveillance force has been reinforced, maintaining patrols in key fishing grounds to address violations and combat illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

Science and technology continue to serve as a key breakthrough, with numerous standards and regulations issued and widely applied. Digital transformation, low-emission technologies, and circular economy models are gradually being put into practice. International cooperation has also been expanded, both bilaterally and multilaterally, with many countries and major organizations, contributing to enhanced governance capacity, improved access to technology, and deeper integration.

In terms of institutions, the sector continues to refine its legal framework, with the 2017 Fisheries Law as the foundation, alongside strategies, master plans, national programs, and a series of development schemes. This provides an important basis for restructuring production, improving management efficiency, and creating a favorable environment for businesses and communities to develop the fisheries sector in a modern and sustainable direction.

The key orientation is to shift from production to an economic approach, from single-value to multi-value development; to promote marine aquaculture, reduce capture fishing, ensure traceability transparency, and expand marine conservation to 6% of natural marine areas.

The sector is also focusing on restructuring production along value chains, applying digital technologies in traceability and fishing vessel management; developing infrastructure, reducing post-harvest losses, and improving product quality. At the same time, it aims to strengthen resource protection, control illegal fishing, and promote sustainable aquaculture models.

“These are fundamental solutions to enhance competitiveness and ensure the sustainable development of Viet Nam’s fisheries sector in the coming period,” Dr. Luan emphasized.

To create further momentum, Dr. Luan recommended continuing to review and refine institutions, reform administrative procedures, and address bottlenecks related to land, water surface, and aquaculture resources. At the same time, it is necessary to tackle barriers in major markets such as the United States, the EU, and China; prioritize investment in infrastructure and fishing vessel management technologies; and strengthen fisheries surveillance capacity.

In particular, disease control and the management of veterinary drugs in aquaculture need to be tightened, with a focus on developing safe farming zones along value chains.

According to Dr. Tran Dinh Luan, by 2030 the fisheries sector aims to achieve an annual growth rate of 3-4%, with total output reaching 9.8 million tonnes, including 7 million tonnes from aquaculture and 2.8 million tonnes from capture fisheries. At the same time, the sector seeks to build civilized fishing communities and develop a multi-value fisheries economy linked to tourism, ecology, and the circular economy.