In response to news that the US is implementing a retaliatory tariff of up to 46 percent on certain Vietnamese imports—provisionally effective from April 9—the Directorate of Fisheries under the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment issued an urgent directive to coastal provinces and the Mekong Delta region. The directive urges swift action to stabilize production, reassure both farmers and businesses, and prevent mass harvesting or abrupt cutbacks in aquaculture driven by market anxiety.
According to the dispatch, local authorities are expected to stay closely engaged on the ground, encourage farmers to adopt cost-saving technologies, ensure transparent traceability, enhance product quality, and prepare contingency plans to pivot toward alternative markets.
Additionally, the directive calls for activating domestic supply chains, expanding local consumption, stockpiling raw materials, and sharing market intelligence in a timely manner—all aimed at preserving output, maintaining export value, and safeguarding millions of coastal jobs.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment reported that in the first quarter of 2025, the seafood sector recorded an output of 1.99 million tons and export earnings of $2.29 billion—an 18.1 percent increase compared to the same period last year. China and Hong Kong accounted for 21.7 percent of total exports, followed by the US at 18 percent, Japan 15.1 percent, the EU 9.9 percent, and South Korea 8 percent. Notably, over 400 Vietnamese enterprises are currently involved in regular seafood exports to the US.
If the 46 percent tariff is officially enforced following the preliminary investigation period, many of these exporters may be forced out of the market. Mr. Nguyen Hoai Nam, General Secretary of the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), warned that a $500,000 shipment—which would normally incur a 5-percent duty ($25,000)—could now be taxed at $230,000, equivalent to nearly half its value. At present, approximately 37,500 tons of seafood are already en route to the US, with another 31,500 tons scheduled for export in April and May.
“This kind of nearly tenfold increase in tariffs would leave businesses facing immediate losses the moment their shipments arrive at port,” Mr. Nguyen Hoai Nam cautioned.
VASEP has submitted a set of urgent recommendations to the Government and relevant ministries, calling for immediate relief measures, including tax deferrals or extensions for signed contracts, renegotiation of tariff rates based on specific product categories or certified farming zones, and expedited efforts to diversify export markets. Countries like Brazil, Mexico, and those in the Middle East—considered high-potential markets with substantial untapped capacity—are being identified as strategic priorities moving forward.
