A Path to Sustainable Growth

The journey to this landmark goal is not without challenges. As Vietnam strengthens its position in the global seafood market, it faces increased scrutiny over antibiotic residues in exports. According to Le Thanh Hoa, Deputy Director of the National Authority for Agro-Forestry-Fishery Quality, Processing, and Market Development, ensuring strict quality standards will be essential in maintaining Vietnam’s export credibility.

The US Market: A Major Battleground

The United States remains one of Vietnam’s most crucial export markets, particularly for shrimp and tra fish (pangasius). Despite fierce competition from industry giants like India, Ecuador, and Indonesia, Vietnam’s shrimp exports saw a 15% rise in 2024, reaching nearly $3.9 billion. The country’s success lies in its strategic approach to value-added seafood products, including frozen fillets, tra fish skewers, skin snacks, and pureed fish balls—a growing favorite among American consumers.

Adding to Vietnam’s advantage is a recent resolution with the US at the WTO, which ended a long-standing anti-dumping dispute over pangasius exports. This victory is expected to smooth trade relations and strengthen Vietnam’s presence in the global market.

Challenges on the Horizon

Despite its achievements, Vietnam’s seafood industry faces mounting climate change impacts, rising production costs, and tougher competition from major seafood-exporting nations. Higher feed, fuel, and transportation expenses threaten profit margins, making it crucial for the industry to innovate.

Recognizing these challenges, the Directorate of Fisheries has outlined a shift in focus for 2025: rather than expanding shrimp and tra fish farms, the priority will be on deep processing techniques to enhance product value and reduce waste. The industry is also diversifying its aquaculture species, incorporating eel, tilapia, seaweed, and mollusks to tap into new market demands.

A Future Rooted in Sustainability

Vietnam is also embracing circular economy principles—finding innovative ways to utilize seafood byproducts to minimize environmental impact. By investing in value-added processing, the industry aims to extract greater value from each harvest while maintaining long-term sustainability.

Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Phung Duc Tien, sees a bright future for Vietnam’s fisheries sector. However, he emphasizes that productivity improvements, tighter quality controls, and disease management will be key to success. The industry must also address concerns about shrimp feed and antibiotic use to meet international safety standards and maintain its competitive edge.

Vietnam’s Seafood Industry: Rising to the Challenge

As Vietnam charts its path to $11 billion in seafood exports, the industry is proving that growth is not just about numbers—it’s about innovation, sustainability, and resilience. With a strong export strategy, a commitment to quality enhancement, and a growing portfolio of seafood products, Vietnam is well-positioned to maintain its leadership in the global market.

For seafood lovers across the world, the future looks promising. Vietnam’s journey is a testament to how a country can transform its fisheries sector into a powerhouse—balancing growth with responsibility, and setting a benchmark for sustainable aquaculture worldwide.

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These reports revealed issues such as child labor, forced labor, and inhumane working conditions in Indian shrimp processing facilities, particularly in Andhra Pradesh. The Southern Shrimp Alliance (SSA), an organization representing shrimp producers in the U.S., played a key role in pushing for the inclusion of Indian shrimp on the DOL’s list. They cited the same reports as evidence of labor exploitation in the industry.

The shrimp processing plants in India are said to operate under extremely poor conditions, with workers facing significant hardships. ILAB’s report highlights instances of debt bondage, where workers are charged high job-placement fees that leave them trapped in financial servitude. Many workers are forced to live in employer-provided housing near the worksites, often located in remote areas, with security measures that include lock-ins and surveillance, restricting their freedom of movement.

In addition to the physical abuse and verbal harassment reported, workers are exposed to hazardous chemicals, endure long hours of standing, and face the risk of injury due to the lack of proper protective equipment. Housing conditions are described as overcrowded, unsanitary, and poorly maintained.

One of the more prominent revelations came from Josh Farinella, a former general manager of the shrimp processing company Choice Canning in Kerala, India. Farinella became a whistleblower after witnessing firsthand the poor conditions at the facility. He recounted instances of antibiotic-contaminated shrimp being shipped to the U.S. and employees being forced to stay at the facility against their will. Despite these allegations, Choice Canning has denied any wrongdoing, stating that they have passed social compliance audits and asserting that forced labor does not exist in India’s shrimp industry.

The addition of Indian shrimp to the ILAB’s list has significant implications for the U.S. shrimp market. The Southern Shrimp Alliance has urged all U.S. buyers to exercise due diligence when sourcing shrimp from India, potentially impacting the reputation and demand for Indian seafood in the global market.

India’s shrimp industry is a major player in global seafood exports, contributing billions to the country’s economy. However, the reports of labor abuses have put the industry under intense scrutiny. With shrimp being such a valuable export, this new designation could result in increased regulatory measures and stricter import controls by countries like the U.S., which prioritize ethical sourcing practices.

The case of Indian shrimp serves as a stark reminder of the human cost behind global food supply chains. As the world demands sustainable and ethical seafood production, it is essential for industries to adopt transparent practices that protect workers’ rights, improve working conditions, and ensure that forced labor and child labor are eradicated. Collaborative efforts between governments, companies, and consumers are crucial in building a seafood industry that values both human rights and environmental sustainability.

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A recent report, presented by the Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) in collaboration with the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute and Central Institute of Fisheries Technology, highlighted the severe impact of this ban on the livelihoods of Indian fishermen. The U.S. law prohibits the import of wild caught shrimp from fisheries that negatively impact marine wildlife, particularly sea turtles in India.

To address this, India has developed two designs of Turtle Excluder Devices (TED) for trawl nets, meeting the technical standards of the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). These devices are intended to reduce turtle mortality by allowing them to escape from the nets. One of these designs has already been approved by NOAA, and field demonstrations are ongoing across maritime states to educate stakeholders about the importance of TEDs.

The report also stressed the need for India to establish a regulatory program focused on conserving marine mammals, such as whales, dolphins, and dugongs, in line with the U.S. Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). Failing to comply with these regulations could jeopardize the export of all wild-caught marine products to the U.S.

Indian marine scientists have argued that traditional fishing practices in India already include methods to reduce interactions between marine mammals and fisheries, underscoring the cultural importance of protecting turtles within the Indian fishing community. However, further efforts are necessary to align with international conservation standards and restore access to the lucrative U.S. market.

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The American Shrimp Processors Association (ASPA) initiated this move by urging the US Department of Commerce to impose duties on shrimp imports from specific countries, citing harm to local fishermen. Last month, the department accepted this request and launched an investigation into shrimp imports from India, Ecuador, Indonesia, and Vietnam, which collectively account for 90 percent of shrimp imports to the USA.

India, with an annual shrimp exports value of approximately USD $2.4 billion, faces a significant impact if the US decides to impose duties. Gujarat alone contributes around USD $72 million to this export value. The Seafood Exporters Association of India (SEAI) and the Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) are actively engaging with US agencies, providing necessary data, and countering allegations put forth by ASPA.

Jagdish Fofandi, the Vice President of MPEDA and President of SEAI, addressed ASPA’s claim that Indian exports are subsidized by the Indian government through the RoDTEP scheme. Fofandi emphasized that they are working to convince US authorities that the scheme aligns with WTO compliance and aims to reimburse domestic taxes for exporters.

Should India fail to persuade US authorities and duties are imposed, it could have severe consequences for Indian exporters. The proposed 6 to 10 percent duty would increase the cost of Indian products in the US market, necessitating a reduction in procurement prices and directly impacting Indian fishermen.

This development adds to the challenges already faced by Indian exporters, including the economic slowdown in China (which receives 50 percent of exports from Gujarat) and sluggish demand from the inflation-affected European market. With restaurant attendance declining during the period of increased demand for Indian fish, the situation poses a double challenge for marine exporters in India.

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The total value of imports from these four countries amounted to a staggering $6.6 billion in 2022, comprising over 90 percent of all imported frozen warm-water shrimp for the year. American Shrimp Processors Association alleges that Ecuador and Indonesia have been engaging in dumping practices, with dumping margins reaching as high as 111 percent for Ecuador and 37 percent for Indonesia. Furthermore, ASPA has documented numerous government subsidy programs supporting shrimp farmers and processors in Ecuador, India, Indonesia, and Vietnam, which include subsidized loans, tax concessions, grants, export credits, and the provision of land, water, and other essential resources.

ASPA filed these petitions on behalf of the domestic shrimp harvesting and processing sectors, receiving remarkable support from hundreds of shrimp boats that account for the majority of domestic warm water shrimp landings, as well as processors representing more than 85 percent of domestic shrimp processing.

Mr. Trey Pearson, President of ASPA, expressed his pride in filing these cases, emphasizing the immense support from the shrimp industry. He stated, “The overwhelming outpouring of support from the entire shrimp industry demonstrates how important trade relief is to everyone. Our petitions include nearly 800 shrimp harvesters representing over half of all domestic landings. ASPA is especially thankful to the many individuals and organizations whose hard work and commitment allowed ASPA to file these cases with the full support of the entire shrimp industry.”

The influx of shrimp imports from these four countries has exceeded 200 million pounds between 2020 and 2022, further eroding the market share of an already vulnerable domestic industry. These imports have undercut domestic shrimp prices, leading to historically low price levels in 2023, which have severely impacted both fishermen and processors. As a result, the domestic industry’s profit margin has nearly vanished, posing a threat to the sustainability of an industry that holds immense importance for the Gulf region’s economy and cultural heritage.

American Shrimp Processors Association trade counsel, Ms. Elizabeth Drake and Mr. Eddy Hayes, issued a statement in connection with the petitions, emphasizing the necessity of these actions to rectify market distortions and price depression in the United States. They explained that if successful, the imposition of anti-dumping and countervailing duties would counteract the effects of dumping and subsidies by foreign companies and governments, providing much-needed relief to the entire domestic shrimp industry.

The petitions have been filed with both the U.S. Department of Commerce and the U.S. International Trade Commission. It is expected that Commerce will announce whether it will initiate investigations by November 15, and the Commission will vote on whether there is reasonable evidence of injury to the domestic industry by December 8. If both determinations are affirmative, comprehensive investigations at both agencies are anticipated to continue into the fall of 2024.

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According to a recent Reuters report, the U.S. government is actively exploring methods to mitigate the adverse effects of China’s seafood ban on Japanese seafood. This embargo has had severe repercussions on Japan’s seafood sector, particularly impacting scallop producers. In an effort to assist seafood producers affected by declining exports and prices, TEPCO has pledged to provide compensation.

U.S. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel revealed that this initiative will involve a long-term partnership between the U.S. armed forces and Japanese fisheries and cooperatives. Furthermore, this action aligns with the Group of Seven (G7) industrial powers’ call for countries to lift restrictions on Japanese aquatic products. Following a trade ministers’ meeting in Osaka-Sakai, Japan, the G7 nations and Japan’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Yoko Kamikawa, jointly advocated for a “calm response based on scientific evidence” when it comes to trade bans on Japanese seafood.

Both Japan and the United Nations nuclear watchdog have attested to the complete safety of the water released from the Fukushima nuclear facility. Japanese officials even publicly consumed seafood from the region as a testament to their confidence in the wastewater testing during the Seafood Expo Asia held in Singapore shortly after the ban was announced. Japanese companies expressed their trust in the government and the testing procedures during this event.

As reported by Asahi Shimbun in late September, the U.S. is actively exploring more direct ways to support Japan’s seafood industry, with Emanuel characterizing China’s ban as an act of economic coercion. He emphasized that the most effective strategy in countering China’s economic pressure has been to offer assistance to the targeted country or industry.

Conversely, China has described the G7’s calls for the resumption of trade as “economic coercion.” The initial purchase by the U.S. military, as per Reuters, will consist of just under a metric ton of Hokkaido scallops, which is a far cry from the significant volume of scallops typically exported to China annually from the region. In 2023, Japan’s total scallop exports reached a record high of JPY 91 billion (USD 610 million, EUR 574 million), with 51.3% of that value originating from China.

Hokkaido’s seafood industry has been particularly hard-hit by China’s embargo on Japanese seafood, despite most of its seafood being sourced from areas far north of the wastewater release site. Emanuel has expressed the intention to expand these seafood purchases to encompass various types of seafood from Japan over time, highlighting that the U.S. military had not previously sourced local seafood in Japan. This move underscores the commitment to strengthen the ties between the U.S. and Japan in the face of these economic challenges.

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Under this extension, the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Fish, led by Mississippi State University, receives a substantial up to $15 million, while the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Legume Systems Research, led by Michigan State University, is granted an up to $14 million extension, subject to the availability of funds.

The Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Fish is dedicated to strengthening the climate resilience of fisheries and other aquatic food systems, including the harvesting of shellfish and seaweed, in countries such as Bangladesh, Nigeria, Kenya, and Zambia. These aquatic foods are not only nutritious sources of animal protein but also represent some of the world’s most traded agricultural products, offering essential income to aquatic farmers and fishers.

However, the ongoing rise in oceanic temperatures and increasing acidification pose significant threats to these fisheries. It is estimated that fisheries in tropical regions could witness up to a 50% decline in their catch levels by the end of the century. Given that approximately 2.6 billion people in developing nations rely on fish for both protein and income, these changes could have dire consequences for their food security and resilience.

Building upon years of research, the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Fish focuses on developing and scaling innovations that not only increase fish production but also prioritize the conservation of natural resources and address the needs of producers and fishers. The next phase of this initiative places a strong emphasis on promoting sustainable and climate-smart practices, such as enhancing the carbon storage capacity of coastal wetlands and other aquatic ecosystems to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions. Additionally, the extension will concentrate on enhancing food safety and inclusivity within the aquatic food value chains, thereby ensuring that more people can access nutritious diets and secure livelihoods.

The Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Legume Systems Research is dedicated to developing innovative methods for the sustainable scaling of grain legume production in West and Southern Africa. Legumes, including beans and lentils, provide a vital source of affordable protein and play a crucial role in improving climate resilience by returning nitrogen to the soil, thereby enhancing soil health.

The Feed the Future Legume Systems Innovation Lab has successfully created improved varieties of pest-resistant cowpeas and common beans. Pests represent a significant threat to legume production, responsible for substantial food losses, with some capable of destroying up to 80% of farmers’ yields and contributing to over 48% of post-harvest losses.

Through groundbreaking research, the production of these new legume varieties will be scaled up and introduced to the market. This initiative will not only enhance the resilience of legume farmers’ livelihoods but also increase the availability of nutritious food. The program’s expansion will encompass more communities in previously unexplored regions of Africa and will mark its debut in Latin America and the Caribbean. Furthermore, this extension will empower women and young people within the legume production systems, building on past success in providing economic opportunities to rural women’s groups and supporting over 60 students in attaining higher education degrees.

The commitment of USAID to these initiatives underscores the United States government’s dedication to improving global food security, promoting sustainability, and fostering economic opportunities that will benefit communities worldwide.

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This bill is to put taxes on Indian shrimp coming into the U.S. This would help match the advantages that Indian shrimp gets from their government.

John Williams, who is the head of the Southern Shrimp Alliance, says that it’s been over 10 years, and Indian shrimp has been a big problem for American shrimpers. Now, with this bill, they want all U.S. senators in the Gulf and South Atlantic areas to help make things right.

People who care about American shrimp, like the Southern Shrimp Alliance, support this bill. They want to make things fair for our shrimp farmers.

Around 40% of the shrimp one can find in U.S. markets coming from India. But India isn’t better at shrimp farming than anyone else. They’re winning because they do some things that are not so great. They use banned antibiotics, they sometimes make people work in low standard conditions and also got govt subsidy along side.

Senator Cassidy also wants to fix some problems with China. He put forward another bill called the Prioritizing Offensive Agricultural Disputes and Enforcement Act. This one is about keeping an eye on what China does with farming and making sure they play fair.

He says that when you eat shrimp, you want it to be good and healthy. But some countries don’t always play by the rules. So, by getting India and China to follow the rules, it helps American shrimpers and makes sure our food is safe.

This is part of a bigger effort by lawmakers to make sure that there are good rules for bringing shrimp into the U.S. In August, two members of the U.S. House of Representatives, Garret Graves and Kathy Castor, introduced a law called the Laws Ensuring Safe Shrimp Act. This law wants to make sure that the shrimp we get is safe and high quality. It also makes sure the U.S. Food and Drug Administration checks shrimp and shrimp products properly.

Representative Graves says we can’t allow shrimp with bad stuff in it to take over the market. We can’t accept lower-quality shrimp that might hurt people’s health. This is avoidable, and this law will help one of Louisiana’s biggest businesses.

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At the end of the 13th India-US TPF meeting, Mr. Goyal said, “We have revitalized TPF in a new form that has a strong focus on results. This understanding will be creating a better business environment and more trust between the countries.”

Mr. Piyush Goyal said India and the US are working on a system where Indian shrimp can be exported for American consumers.

There was a news conference took place following the India-US Trade Policy Forum meeting, which Mr. Goyal co-chaired with US Trade Representative Katherine Tai, Goyal said, “We had discussions about restarting wild-caught shrimp exports from India to the US.”

According to him, the US had prohibited fishing in these places in India because of turtle safety concerns.

A turtle exclusion device (TED) has been designed with the technical assistance of the NOAA from the US, and that design has now been accepted between the two countries,” he said.

What is a Turtle Excluder Device?

Turtle excluder devices, or TEDs, help protect sea turtles by making sure trawl fishing gear doesn’t interact with them.

These devices can be set into trawl nets. It’s made of metal bars and mesh. When larger animals bump into the metal grid, they can escape through a rip in the mesh. But shrimp will go between the bars to the back of the net.

The modern TED made of a metal bar grid attached to a trawl net. Shrimp and other small animals are caught when they travel through the grid and put the fish into a mesh bag at the end of the trawl. The TED redirects more giant creatures like sea turtles when they enter the trawl net, allowing them to escape via an aperture at the top or bottom of the net. Turtles can be kept out of shrimp trawls with 97 percent efficiency with the current TED designs. NOAA Fisheries experts are working with shrimp fishers to ensure they use the most efficient methods to reduce bycatch.

Minister Piyush Goyal said; “Trials of the devices are now in progress. He asserted that the machine’s testing would guarantee that the turtle excluder device would lessen the effect of fishing on the population of sea turtles.” So shrimp from wild-caught can be shipped from India to the US. We are expecting these experiments in India will be finished by the next few months.

Mr. Goyal added that the Indian shrimp had good taste and was well received in the American market, which has good prospects for trade between the two nations.

Tariq Iqbal
Khulna, Bangladesh

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Atarraya, the first intelligent shrimp farm in the United States who are farming shrimp in boxes. Atarraya calls the world’s first sustainable plug-and-play shrimp farm. Each unit can produce 1.6 tons of shrimp.

The business is the first to harvest shrimp in Indianapolis in November 2022.

Atarraya CEO and creator Daniel Russek said, “It’s great that we were able to celebrate our first harvest in Indianapolis after only four months of operation. This is proof that our Shrimpboxes work.”

It shows that this plug-and-play shrimp farming technology can produce fresh shrimp in landlocked areas.

Before shrimp farms can get their first catch, they have to plan years in advance. Our AI-powered Shrimpboxes reduce that time to a few months.

The shrimp industry is making our oceans worse, even though everyone loves shrimp. Traditional shrimp production causes overfishing, destruction of habitat and ocean pollution.

Shrimp consumption contributes to 3 of the ocean’s biggest threats

The 3 threats to the ocean are:

1. Over fishing: Shrimp lives in the sea. To catch them, we use large nets that go to the surface and take with them everything around the shrimp, like turtles, eels and seahorses. It’s like for every pound of shrimp, 6–9 pounds of other animals are killed.

2. Habitat Destruction: By catching non-targeted species destroys 6 million km2 (square kilometers) of seabed every year (⅔ the landmass of the US).

Farmed shrimp are responsible for 40% of mangrove forest loss worldwide (crucial for marine habitats and human oxygen production). These forests sequester up to 4x more carbon than rainforests.

3. Coastal Pollution: Traditional shrimp farms use huge amounts of water with chemicals and antibiotics that ends up into the ocean, contributing to the pollution and destruction of their surroundings. Instead of using chemicals and antibiotics, modern farms use clean water and sustainable practices to protect the environment and the health of humans and animals.

How it works

1. Sensors measure the concentrations of oxygen, temperature, PH, NO2, NO3, NH4N, turbidity, and alkalinity of the water. These sensors help us understand the health of our water and how to maintain it best.

2. By cloud computing, it connects to software over the internet to feed it with data and receive instructions that are then automatically executed.

3. The only tasks required of farm workers are feeding the shrimp and keeping an eye on the electrical and mechanical systems.

4. Atarraya gives farm administrators the ability to create tasks to be done daily or in special circumstances.

Atarraya got overwhelming support from the government of Indiana through AgriNovus and the Indiana Economic Development Corporation in setting up their U.S. headquarters in Indianapolis.

Atarraya’s mission is to make shrimp the future of protein, and their vision is to found a new industry in the U.S.

According to AgFinder, Indiana is rapidly becoming a major U.S. agtech hub. Many Indiana farmers are already interested in diversifying their operations with Shrimpbox.

Tariq Iqbal
Khulna, Bangladesh

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