AsemconnectVietnam - Despite the volatile global trade landscape and increasingly stringent barriers from major markets, Vietnam's seafood exports were estimated to reach US$11.3 billion in 2025, a 13% increase compared to 2024.

According to the Vietnam Association of Seafood Processing and Export (Vasep), this record export value was achieved amidst global trade facing geopolitical instability, regional conflicts, and increasing protectionist trends. The United States – Vietnam's largest seafood market – has continuously adjusted its tax policies and import standards. In particular, from April of 2025, the US announced a new reciprocal tax policy applicable to over 75 countries, initially proposing a tax rate of up to 46% for Vietnam, which was later adjusted down to 20% from August of 2025.
The combination of "double taxation" including countervailing duties, anti-dumping duties, and anti-subsidy duties has significantly increased the cost of exporting to the United States. In this context, many businesses have flexibly adjusted their production plans, accelerating exports early, while effectively utilizing free trade agreements such as CPTPP, EVFTA, and RCEP to expand markets to Japan, the EU, and the Asia-Pacific region.
The three main drivers for the seafood industry's rapid growth in 2025 were the increasing global demand for food reserves, the rapid adaptability of businesses, and the effective exploitation of tariff preferences from FTAs. This also demonstrates a shift from a mindset of "selling to traditional markets" to a strategy of diversification and risk dispersion.
One of the biggest challenges in 2025 was the US refusal to recognize the equivalence of 12 Vietnamese fisheries under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), leading to an import ban from January 1, 2026, on many seafood species harvested using these fisheries. If not lifted, this ban could affect over $500 million in export revenue annually.
CK
Source: VITIC/Vasep