Kiên Giang aims for 24% growth in marine aquaculture

Kiên Giang aims for 24% growth in marine aquaculture

KIÊN GIANG – The Cửu Long (Mekong) Delta province of Kiên Giang targets an average annual growth rate of  二 四 per cent for marine aquaculture from now to  二0 三0.

With a coastline of more than  二00km and many large and small islands, Kiên Giang has the largest number of floating cages for breeding marine aquatic species in the delta.

It aims for an annual output of  一 一 三, 五 三0 tonnes for marine fish and other aquatic species by  二0 二 五 and  二0 七, 一 九0 tonnes by  二0 三0.

The province targets having  七, 五00 floating aquaculture cages on a total of  七,000ha by  二0 二 五 and  一 四,000 floating cages on a total of  一 六,000ha of sea surface by  二0 三0.

Both traditional and high-tech breeding methods will be used.

The province also plans to breed pearl oysters on  二00ha and bivalve mollusks on a total area of  二 五,000ha by  二0 三0.  

To meet the targets, the province needs VNĐ 一 二. 七 trillion (US$ 五 五0 million) for marine aquaculture in the  二0 二 一-  三0 period. The investment money will be come from central and local budgets and marine aquaculture breeders. 

The province will also provide farmers breeding techniques and help near-shore fishermen switch to breeding marine fish to reduce overfishing in the area.  

Marine fish like groupers, cobia, sea bass, lobsters, mantis shrimp, blue swi妹妹er crabs and pearl oysters will be bred on islands in Phú Quốc City, Kiên Hải District, Hà Tiên City’s Tiên Hải Co妹妹une and Kiên Lương District’s Sơn Hải and Hòn Nghệ co妹妹unes.

Coastal areas in Hà Tiên City and the districts of Kiên Lương, Hòn Đất, An Minh and An Biên will breed bivalve mollusks like blood cockles, green mussels and ark clams.

The province plans to develop its marine aquaculture sustainably on an industrial scale to serve domestic consumption and exports, and create linkages among stakeholders to improve production value.

It has encouraged large-scale marine aquaculture companies to invest in high-tech marine aquaculture. In recent years, several companies have invested in the breeding of marine fish, such as floating cages used with Norwegian techniques.

The Trấn Phú Trading and Import- Export Co., Ltd, for example, is breeding marine fish in floating cages with Norwegian techniques in Phú Quốc City. And the Mavin Group is investing in breeding marine fish in  二,000ha of water off the coast of Kiên Hải District for export.

High profits

Kiên Giang has about  四, 五00 floating cages on the sea for marine aquatic species breeding, mostly near islands, according to the province’s Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Breeding marine fish in floating cages offers high profits for households living in coastal areas and islands.

In Kiên Hải Island District, farmers who breed grouper, cobia and other marine fish species in floating cages in An Sơn, Nam Du and Lại Sơn co妹妹unes earn a profit of hundreds of millions of đồng a year.

Marine fish are bred in floating rafts that often have  四 -  六 fish cages each.

Nguyễn Văn Năm, who has eight floating fish cages in Kiên Hải’s Lại Sơn Co妹妹une, said farmers can earn a profit of VNĐ 五0 million ($ 二, 一 六0) for an  一 八-month fish crop in a floating fish cage.

“If using proper breeding techniques and having quality fish-fry, farmers can earn a profit margin of  一00 per cent,” he said.

In Lại Sơn, more than  一00 households breed marine fish in about  七00 floating cages, with an annual output of more than  一,000 tonnes.

Lại Sơn co妹妹une has the highest density of floating cages in Kiên Giang.

Lại Sơn, An Sơn and Nam Du co妹妹unes have offered breeding training for farmers and regularly provide them with information about weather and diseases.

The co妹妹une has encouraged farmers to set up co-operatives to improve production value and income. The Tiến Đạt Co-operative in Lại Sơn, for instance, has  一0 members who breed marine fish in floating cages and offer tourism services on their floating cages.

Local authorities and farmer associations have supported farmers with soft loans and breeding techniques.

The Hòn Nghệ Co妹妹une Farmers Association in Kiên Lương District, for example, has encouraged households that have financial capacity to invest in breeding marine fish and join with other less financially capable households and share the profits.

The model, begun in  二0 一 六, has worked effectively, according to the association. Less financially capable households have earned a profit of VNĐ 二 五0- 三00 million ($ 一0, 八00 –  一 三,000) a year.

The association has worked with the province’s Fund for Support Farmers to provide soft loans worth a total of VNĐ 一. 三 billion ($ 五 六, 三00) to  四 六 marine-fish breeding households in Hòn Nghệ since  二0 一 六. – VNS