According to the association, seafood exports brought back US$953 million in August alone, up 20% compared to the same period last year.

Between January and August, shrimp exports fetched nearly US$2.4 billion, with US$1.75 billion coming from the shipments of the white-legged shrimp, up 9% and 8%, respectively.

Tra fish (pangasius) exports rose 9% to US$1.3 billion. Pangasius exports to China decreased by 3% while those to the United States enjoyed an annual increase of 23%.

Furthermore, tuna exports were up 21% to US$652 million.

Vietnamese exports of squid and octopus are affected by the European Commission (EC)'s “yellow card” on illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. Its exports were duly down 2% to US$402 million in the first eight months of the year.

Moving forward, the VASEP forecast that the country's seafood exports this year would hit US$9.5 billion, marking a yearly increase of 6%.