In the context of fierce competition and increasingly high international standards, the application of science, technology, innovation, and digital transformation is becoming the key to helping Vietnam's fisheries industry enhance its capacity in farming, processing, and exporting.

Science and technology contribute significantly to the fisheries sector

On April 28, 2026, in Ho Chi Minh City, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment organized the National Fisheries Science and Technology and Fisheries Surveillance Conference 2026, within the framework of the first Vietnam International Fisheries Science and Technology Exhibition (VinaFis Expo 2026).

According to Mr. Phung Duc Tien, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment, science and technology have recently made important contributions to the general achievements of the agricultural sector, including fisheries.

Specifically, in the fisheries sector, exports in 2025 reached over 8 billion USD, with total production reaching 9.5 million tons—the highest level ever recorded. The total export turnover of the entire agriculture, forestry, and fishery sector reached 70.61 billion USD, in which fisheries contributed more than 11.3 billion USD, confirming the sector's role as a pillar of the economy.

However, Mr. Phung Duc Tien also frankly admitted that science and technology have not yet truly become a key driving force. Many research projects remain small-scale, lack chain linkage, and are not aligned with the practical needs of enterprises. Numerous works, after being accepted, are not applied in production, leading to a waste of resources.

A notable fact is that although the entire industry has more than 12,400 scientific researchers, including 44 professors, the efficiency of their utilization is not commensurate. Meanwhile, enterprises show a more effective operational capacity, despite being entirely self-sufficient in finance.

According to the Deputy Minister, the current requirement is to shift from the mindset of individual research to a value-chain approach linked with a circular economy and digital transformation. Simultaneously, there is a need for strong innovation in science and technology management mechanisms to create incentives for scientists to innovate and commercialize research results.

Continuing to promote processing and export technology

According to Dr. Tran Dinh Luan, Director General of the Department of Forestry and Fisheries Surveillance (Ministry of Agriculture and Environment), Vietnam's seafood processing industry has undergone rapid development, with systems of technology and equipment becoming increasingly modern and closely linked with raw material areas. Currently, the whole country has 823 seafood processing facilities, the majority of which are frozen processing establishments.

Notably, the number of enterprises meeting export standards for demanding markets such as the EU, the US, South Korea, and Australia is increasing. Large corporations like Minh Phu and Vinh Hoan have played leading roles in the production chain, contributing to enhancing the position of Vietnamese seafood in the international market.

Growth in seafood exports comes not only from volume but also from promoting deep processing and increasing added value. Export turnover reached nearly 11 billion USD in 2022 and increased to 11.3 billion USD in 2025, showing the clear effectiveness of this strategy.

In aquaculture, the trend of shifting from exploitation to farming is increasingly evident. In the 2021-2025 period, aquaculture output increased from 4.88 million tons to 6.11 million tons. High-value species such as brackish water shrimp, pangasius, seaweed, and mollusks are becoming the pillars of the industry.

Science and technology play an especially important role in key stages such as selective breeding, feed production, environmental management of farming, and traceability. However, many limitations persist, particularly the dependence on imported seeds and raw materials.

Currently, the industry consumes about 5.9 million tons of aquaculture feed annually, but the majority of raw materials must be imported, leading to high logistics costs. This is also one of the major "bottlenecks," as logistics costs can account for 60-70% of the product price, reducing competitiveness in the international market.

Besides, the domestic science and technology market is underdeveloped, and technology trading transactions are limited, failing to create a strong innovation ecosystem for the fisheries industry.

According to Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Huu Ninh, Deputy Director of the Department of Science and Technology (Ministry of Agriculture and Environment), in the 2021-2025 period, the Ministry implemented 113 science and technology tasks with a total budget of over 336 billion VND. Projects focused on biotechnology, seed production, farming processes, and processing. However, application efficiency is still not commensurate with the potential.

To create a breakthrough, experts believe it is necessary to strongly promote the "3-party" link consisting of the State, scientists, and enterprises; develop the science and technology market; and simultaneously accelerate digital transformation across the entire production chain, from farming to processing and export.

Deputy Minister Phung Duc Tien emphasized that the current "bottlenecks" must be resolved according to the industry chain. With the right orientation and synchronized participation, science and technology are expected to become a direct driving force, helping the Vietnamese fisheries industry develop sustainably, increase added value, and reach further into the global market.

Source: Tap chi Kinh te - Tai chinh