The United States’ Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) mandates that seafood exporting nations demonstrate fisheries management practices corresponding with U.S. regulations pertaining to marine mammal conservation.
In its preliminary assessment, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) declined to acknowledge Vietnam’s equivalence in relation to twelve pivotal seafood harvesting methodologies, including gillnetting, purse seining, trawling, and handlining. This determination indicates the potential imposition of import prohibitions on key products such as tuna, swordfish, squid, and crustaceans, effective as of January 1, 2026.
The materialization of such a scenario would severely compromise the reputation and market standing of Vietnamese seafood within the international market. The closure of a major market like the U.S. could activate similar regulatory measures from other key trading partners, including the European Union, Japan, and Canada, thereby triggering a cascade effect that would position the Vietnamese seafood industry in a risky and passive posture.
Beyond the MMPA, the U.S. is expanding its Seafood Import Monitoring Program, which necessitates the provision of enhanced product origin information by importers. This requirement exposes a vulnerability within numerous Vietnamese seafood enterprises, potentially subjecting them to intensified inspection.
This is not the first instance where the Vietnamese seafood industry has encountered formidable warnings from the international marketplace. The ongoing “yellow card” designation imposed by the European Union since 2017 underscores the persistent challenges in meeting international regulatory benchmarks.
Failure to prioritize and expeditiously address the MMPA-related concerns with the U.S. could culminate in a “red card” designation, signifying an outright import embargo.
With annual export revenues ranging from US$9 to $11 billion, Vietnam’s seafood sector occupies the third position on the global aquaculture stage, trailing only China and Norway. The export momentum observed in the first quarter of 2025 indicates sustained positive performance.
The newly enacted regulations pose a formidable challenge, namely the requisite transformation of the fisheries management framework to align with U.S. standards by the April 1, 2025 deadline. To achieve the 2025 seafood export target of $10 to $11 billion, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment continues to designate the U.S. as Vietnam’s paramount seafood export market. Consequently, the efficient resolution of MMPA-related challenges is imperative.
As an immediate measure, an inter-ministerial task force should be established to conduct a comprehensive review of the equivalence registration dossier submitted to the U.S. Any delay in this regard would exacerbate the industry’s vulnerability. Secondly, proactive negotiations with the U.S., facilitated through diplomatic channels, should be pursued to secure an extension of the compliance deadline. Prior experience suggests that engaging U.S.-based consultants can enhance negotiation efficacy.
The fundamental solution necessitates a systemic overhaul of the seafood industry’s developmental strategy, encompassing production models, quality assurance protocols, and export methodologies, with a strategic emphasis on marine aquaculture to mitigate reliance on natural resource exploitation.
In conjunction with the urgent resolution of MMPA-related issues, the Vietnamese seafood industry must prioritize the expeditious removal of the EU’s “yellow card” designation. This would mitigate the risk of intensified regulatory scrutiny from these two pivotal markets, thus preventing a dual burden on Vietnamese enterprises.
