In July 2024, Vietnam's tuna exports to EU began to show signs of decline compared to the same period, down 14%. In the first half of August, although Vietnam's tuna exports to EU increased, exports of canned tuna products continued to decrease sharply.
According to statistics from Vietnam Customs, value of Vietnam's tuna exports to EU as of August 15, 2024 increased by 28% compared to the same period in 2023, reaching more than 133 million USD.
According to Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), canned tuna is currently the main product exported to the EU, accounting for nearly 39% of Vietnam's total tuna export turnover to this market (accumulated from the beginning of the year to August 15).
In the first months of this year, tuna exports to EU market have fluctuated. After growing continuously from March to June, tuna exports to the EU fell by 14% in July.
VASEP compiled opinions from businesses saying that the reason for the decline in tuna exports to the EU in recent months was due to the fact that the preferential tariff quota is gradually running out and businesses are facing difficulties in supplying skipjack tuna of pure Vietnamese origin (the main raw material for the canned tuna processing and export industry).
Decree 37/2024/ND-CP (effective from May 19, 2024) stipulates that the minimum length allowed for exploitation of skipjack tuna is 0.5m. According to VASEP, this regulation is making it impossible for tuna processing and exporting businesses to purchase tuna raw materials in accordance with the new regulations. Some tuna businesses have completely stopped purchasing domestically exploited skipjack tuna raw materials because they cannot ensure that 100% of the size is 0.5m or larger. Most fishing ports have now stopped certifying raw materials (S/C papers) for skipjack tuna shipments due to the size of the fish caught being smaller than the regulations of Decree 37. Meanwhile, at a meeting to discuss some difficulties and obstacles in implementing Decree 37 held on August 30 in Hanoi, Director of the Vietnam Institute of Marine Fisheries Nguyen Khac Bat said that Vietnam's marine seafood resources have decreased by over 30% since 2005, especially for the bottom fish group. For skipjack tuna, the resources have decreased by 80% from 2000 to 2005 to present.
Therefore, the representative of the Institute of Marine Research proposed that there should be effective measures to manage aquatic resources. The world today applies not only input management but also output management measures for aquatic resources. Input management includes exploitation intensity, number of vessels, conservation, exploitation size... while output management includes management through exploitation quotas, total allowable exploitation output...

Source: Vitic/ congthuong.vn