Live seafood to Vietnam

What was the industry challenge? 

No overarching, government-to-government Export Health Certificate (EHC) had been agreed between the UK and Vietnam for seafood exports. As a result, Vietnamese authorities would not accept local authority-issued EHCs for live seafood. These certificates were generally accepted for fresh, frozen and ambient seafood products but stricter controls applied to live seafood due to the higher risk of disease incursion. This gap created a barrier to trade, despite growing demand in Vietnam for live UK seafood products. 

How did Seafish and its partners respond? 

In 2024, we worked with the Shellfish Association of Great Britain to discuss the issue with Defra’s market access team, their agri-attache in Vietnam and the Department for Business and Trade. We provided data and insight to support discussions with Vietnamese officials. 

What was the impact? 

In March 2025, the UK and Vietnam agreed market access for live seafood exports from the UK to Vietnam. The agreement has unlocked significant opportunity for exports of live seafood from the UK to Vietnam. Access to the Vietnamese market is estimated to generate around £20 million for the UK seafood industry over the next five years, says the SAGB.