Vietnam issues new seafood certification rules for U.S. exports

Vietnam's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has issued Consolidated Document No. 78/2026/VBHN-TT-BNNMT, establishing regulations for certifying seafood and seafood products exported to the United States.

The regulation details the process for obtaining the Certification of Admissibility (COA), a document following U.S. guidelines. The COA is used to certify that seafood products meet requirements for the protection of marine mammals, ensuring they are not subject to import bans under the U.S. Marine Mammal Protection Act.

The certification applies to organizations and individuals involved in the harvesting, farming, purchasing, processing, and exporting of seafood destined for the U.S. market, or for transit through other countries to the U.S. The COA serves as a supplementary document within the tracking and verification systems required by the United States.