Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien sent a letter to US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, requesting an objective review of the Department of Commerce (DOC) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) decision to reject the equivalence of 12 Vietnamese fishing practices under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA).

The decision, which would take effect on January 1, 2026, amounts to an import ban and could severely affect Vietnam’s exports of key seafood products to the US, including tuna, swordfish, grouper, mackerel, mullet, crab, squid, and scad.

According to the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), Vietnam’s seafood industry together with the government and local authorities has made continuous efforts to modernize, enhance accountability, and strengthen fisheries management. These measures include the 2017 Fisheries Law, allocation of resources for local management, compliance with IUU, SIMP, and FIP programs, and implementing “Dolphin-Safe” certification for tuna exports.

VASEP has urged the government and relevant ministries to take urgent measures to protect domestic seafood enterprises, ensure market access to the US, and minimize risks from the January 2026 ban.

In his letter, Minister Nguyen Hong Dien also requested that the US consider fair treatment for Vietnamese shrimp exporters, who have been reliable partners in the US market, in the ongoing 19th administrative review of anti-dumping duties. He stressed that these decisions affect not only Vietnamese producers, exporters, and fishermen, but also US importers, workers, and consumers.

Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien underscored that Vietnam and the US maintain a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership built on trust and mutual benefit. Vietnam values the US as a key trade partner and will continue facilitating American investors and enterprises, while committing to work closely with the US to resolve outstanding trade issues in a constructive, forward-looking spirit.