Fisheries and aquaculture

The production scene of the black tiger shrimp (giant tiger prawn)—long familiar on Japanese tables as the "black shrimp"—is quietly undergoing a generational shift. The stage is Ca Mau province in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam's southernmost province. One set of results recorded at the farming pond beside a small farmer's rice field, addressing something that has long dogged this species...

Moana, known for domesticated black tiger shrimp (tom su gia hoa) in Vietnam, will stop selling broodstock from 2026 and switch to a system that supplies only nauplius larvae directly to certified members. It is a contrarian move to protect the genetic purity of the lineage, cutting off imitations and crossbreeds at the entrance to distribution...

In VASEP figures, Vietnam's seafood exports rose 11% in January–May to US$4.67 billion. Shrimp and pangasius led, and exports to China stood out with a 40.5% increase, while the US and EU declined. We independently examine the impact of this shift to China on Japan's sourcing of shrimp and white fish.

The Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers has begun building a collaborative ecosystem for tilapia. We examine its 2025 exports, up 141% year on year, the track record of winning over the US and Brazil, and what this means for Japan's white-fish sourcing.

Overview: Pangasius (basa, tra fish) is a representative freshwater farmed fish of Vietnam, exported to more than 140 countries worldwide. Annual output reaches about 1.7 million tonnes, an important item accounting for about 25% of Vietnam's seafood export value. Characterized by its white, mild flesh, it is used for fish and chip...

Overview: Vietnam is the world's third-largest shrimp producer and exporter, and the fisheries sector is one of the most important export sectors in Vietnam's agriculture, forestry, and fisheries. The main species are whiteleg shrimp and black tiger (giant tiger prawn), with annual shrimp output of about 900,000 tonnes, and export value...