U.S. May Suspend Imports of Certain Vietnamese Seafood from Jan 2026

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On August 26, 2025, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) under the U.S. Department of Commerce issued a notice to Vietnam’s Department of Fisheries and Fisheries Surveillance. The decision, which may suspend imports of certain Vietnamese seafood, came after NOAA denied comparability recognition for 12 local harvesting practices under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA).

On 10 September 2025, the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) issued Official Letter No. 156/CV-VASEP to the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Advisory Council for Administrative Procedure Reform, and the Department of Fisheries and Fisheries Surveillance regarding NOAA’s denial of comparability recognition for 12 Vietnamese fisheries under the MMPA.  

1. NOAA’s Decision: 

Effective 01 January 2026, seafood species harvested under these fisheries shall be suspended from import into the United States, including numerous species such as tuna, swordfish, grouper, mackerel, mullet, crab, squid, scad, among others. 

2. Impact on Vietnam’s Fisheries Sector: 

  • Direct: Significant decline in export turnover 
  • Indirect: Reduction of eligible raw materials, diminished reputation and international competitiveness, and industry concerns due to regulatory uncertainty. 

U.S. May Suspend Imports of Certain Vietnamese Seafood from Jan 2026

3. VASEP’s Recommendations: 

  • Short-term:  
  • Report to the Prime Minister and retain U.S. legal consultants 
  • Establish an inter-ministerial task force to review dossiers and formulate a response plan  
  • Engage with NOAA to clarify procedures and transitional mechanisms 
  • Finalize fisheries management policies and strengthen monitoring of incidental marine mammal bycatch 
  • Long-term:  
  • Enhance international cooperation and leverage technical assistance  
  • Upgrade monitoring systems, databases, and equipment to reduce incidental bycatch 
  • Provide training and raise awareness among fishermen on preventing marine mammal bycatch 
  • Pursue diplomatic advocacy with U.S. associations and importers; seek mitigation mechanisms; support enterprises in diversifying markets. 

4. NOAA’s Comparability Assessment Results: 

  • 89 countries were granted comparability results for all export fisheries/exemptions, including key competitors of Vietnam such as India, Thailand, Spain, Côte d’Ivoire, Mauritius, Papua New Guinea, Japan, and Fiji… 
  • 34 countries, including Vietnam and certain suppliers of tuna and seafood raw materials to Vietnam (e.g., China, Indonesia, the Philippines, the Republic of Korea, and Taiwan), were denied comparability recognition for certain fisheries). 
  • 12 countries were denied comparability recognition for all fisheries, notably including Russia and Venezuela. 

References:  

  1. Official Letter No. 156/CV-VASEP dated September 10, 2025  
  2. VCCI, Request U.S. to Objectively Review Seafood Trade, 15/09/2025 
  3. VASEP, Official Letter 156/CV-VASEP: NOAA refuses to recognize the equivalent of 12 Vietnamese fisheries under the MMPA Act and VASEP recommendations, 10/09/2025 

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