On September 15, 2025, Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyễn Hồng Diên sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick regarding the recent decision by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), under the U.S. Department of Commerce, to reject the recognition of the equivalence of 12 Vietnamese fishing practices under the U.S. Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA).
NOAA’s decision could heavily impact Vietnamese seafood exports
According to the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), on September 10, 2025, the organization sent official correspondence (No. 156/CV-VASEP) to the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Administrative Reform Advisory Council, and the Directorate of Fisheries regarding NOAA’s notice to Vietnam's Ministry of Agriculture and Environment.
Under the decision, seafood caught using the 12 affected fishing methods will be banned from import into the U.S. starting January 1, 2026. This effectively constitutes a trade ban and could severely impact exports of key species such as tuna, swordfish, grouper, mackerel, mullet, crab, squid, and scad.
VASEP noted that the Vietnamese seafood sector, in cooperation with the government and local authorities, has made significant and ongoing efforts to modernize and improve fisheries management. Measures include the 2017 Fisheries Law, increased local enforcement resources, and compliance with IUU, SIMP, and FIP programs for crab and tuna, alongside "Dolphin Safe" certifications and other marine mammal protection initiatives.
To safeguard the interests of Vietnamese seafood businesses, VASEP urged the government and relevant ministries to take immediate and long-term coordinated action to help the sector address the issue, mitigate impacts, and maintain access to the U.S. market beyond January 1, 2026.
Vietnam calls for fair cooperation
In his letter to Secretary Lutnick, Minister Nguyễn Hồng Diên urged the U.S. Department of Commerce and NOAA to reconsider the decision to avoid significant disruptions to bilateral trade and protect the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of Vietnamese fishermen and workers.
He also requested a fair and objective review of the ongoing 19th administrative review of anti-dumping duties on Vietnamese shrimp exports, highlighting that Vietnamese exporters are reliable and fair partners in the U.S. market.
The minister emphasized that these decisions affect not only Vietnamese producers, exporters, farmers, and fishermen, but also U.S. importers, workers, and consumers.
“The United States and Vietnam maintain a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership built on mutual trust and benefit,” he noted. “Vietnam considers the U.S. a key trading partner and continues to create favorable conditions for American businesses and investors.”
He reaffirmed Vietnam’s commitment to work closely with the U.S. to address existing issues in a constructive and forward-looking manner.
Vietnam’s seafood exports in 2024 reached nearly USD 10 billion, up 12% from 2023. Exports to the U.S. accounted for about USD 1.8 billion, or 18–20% of the total.
In the first half of 2025, seafood exports to the U.S. reached USD 905 million, up 17.5% year-on-year. Shrimp, pangasius, and tuna accounted for roughly 77% of exports to the U.S.
According to VASEP, the NOAA decision could directly impact exports worth an estimated USD 511.5 million per year—equivalent to 28–30% of Vietnam’s seafood trade with the U.S.
Source: vneconomy.vn
