US warns of ban on import of some Vietnamese seafood products: Need to find solution soon

If not removed, from January 1, 2026, the US will ban the import of many key products such as tuna, mackerel, swordfish, squid, crab, etc. from our country. This is a big shock to the seafood industry, affecting hundreds of thousands of fishermen and processing and exporting businesses.

Big shock

According to Mr. Nguyen Dinh Kha - Deputy Director of the Department of Industry and Trade, if the US warning comes true, all seafood exports to this market will have to stop.

The US and EU are two key seafood export markets. If we lose the US market, our country’s international reputation will be damaged, making it more difficult to access other markets such as Africa and the Middle East.

The ban will directly impact the tuna fishing industry in Gia Lai province. **Photo: NN**

At fishing ports, many fishermen were surprised to receive this information. Mr. Tran Ngoc Hoang (Hoai Nhon Dong ward) - owner of 7 fishing boats specializing in offshore fishing - exclaimed: "For a long time, fishermen have always reminded each other to protect dolphins, whales, and sea turtles during the exploitation process. Everyone is working together to remove the yellow card against IUU fishing, now with this regulation added, it is really difficult."

Old fisherman Tran Quoc Ngu - Van Long Thanh chief (Hoai Nhon ward) also expressed his concern: "Van Long Thanh's boats are all complying with all legal regulations. If the US stops importing tuna, what will happen to the income of thousands of fishing households and dozens of processing enterprises?"

According to the Fisheries Department, the ban will directly impact the two main occupations of fishermen in the province: purse seine and ocean tuna fishing, of which the tuna output is about 14,000 tons/year. If it cannot be exported to the US market, which has a large consumption capacity and stable prices, the sharp decline in export turnover will push many fishing households into difficult situations.

Ms. Cao Thi Kim Lan - Vice Chairwoman of the Board of Members of An Hai Company Limited - said that seafood processing and exporting enterprises will face extremely difficult times. The US market, which is one of the largest, if lost, will cause production to stagnate, revenue to decrease, and finding a replacement market will not be easy.

If the ban is applied, Vietnam's seafood export turnover could decrease by hundreds of millions of USD each year. **Photo: NN**

According to the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), the US is currently the second largest seafood import market of our country; in 2024 it will reach 1.8 billion USD, of which tuna exports to the US alone will reach 387 million USD.

If the ban is implemented, export turnover could fall by hundreds of millions of dollars each year. Not only will it directly impact businesses, tens of thousands of workers in the processing industry will also be at risk of losing their jobs. The indirect impact is also not small.

Vietnam will lack valid sources of raw materials because many countries supplying us such as Indonesia, Philippines, South Korea, Taiwan... are also similarly rejected by the US.

Need to act soon

Faced with this situation, the Provincial People's Committee has directed the Department of Agriculture and Environment to advise on a report to the Prime Minister and relevant ministries and branches.

On September 10, 2025, VASEP sent an official dispatch to the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment , the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Department of Fisheries and Fisheries Surveillance (Ministry of Agriculture and Environment)... proposing urgent measures.

VASEP proposed hiring US consultants, establishing an interdisciplinary working group, working directly with NOAA to clarify procedures and propose a transition mechanism. At the same time, businesses need to prepare international certifications such as MSC and Dolphin Safe to prove safe fishing and transparent origin.

According to VASEP, in the short term, the quickest solution is to import raw materials from other countries to process and export to the US. However, this is only a temporary solution. In the long term, it is necessary to focus on removing Vietnamese seafood from the ban. This requires the coordination of the Government, ministries, branches, associations and businesses.

According to the Department of Fisheries and Fisheries Surveillance, if we want to maintain the US market, we must change our fishing methods. The solutions emphasized by the Ministry include: improving fishing gear, applying monitoring systems using positioning and AI cameras, publishing transparent fishing data, and adding regulations to protect marine mammals to the Fisheries Law.

Along with that, it is necessary to step up diplomatic activities, through associations and US importers to propose a transition mechanism. Enterprises need to prepare scenarios for market diversification, avoid over-dependence on the US, and at the same time increase investment in international certification to enhance product reputation.

According to domestic experts, Vietnam has only about 3 months left to complete the additional documents to send to the US before the ban takes effect. If delayed, not only will it lose the US market but also face a double barrier, as it has not yet removed the EU's IUU yellow card.

Source: https://baogialai.com.vn/my-canh-bao-cam-nhap-mot-so-mat-hang-hai-san-viet-nam-can-som-co-giai-phap-thao-go-post567188.html