VietNamNet Bridge - Vietnam is one of 10 countries with a thriving aquaculture sector, but increased water pollution in marine farming areas has created challenges for the industry.


{keywords}


Tran Cong Khoi from the General Directorate of Fisheries said that Vietnam has great potential for sea aquaculture with a large usable area of 250,000 hectares. Meanwhile, the farming area is only 40,000 hectares.

However, unprogrammed farming, poor technical skills and pollution have hindered the sustainable development of the cultivation.

The farming in some areas in the central province of Khanh Hoa has recently been affected by pollution. 

In late July 2016, the provincial Sub-Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary received reports from localities that fish farmed in cages died en masse in the Hon Lang – Ninh Ich area of Ninh Hoa town and Cam Phuc Nam of Cam Ranh City. In Cam Phuc Nam alone, 50 households reported that 600 cages of fish had been affected.

Vietnam is one of 10 countries with a thriving aquaculture sector, but increased water pollution in marine farming areas has created challenges for the industry.
The agency, after testing water samples, concluded that fish died because of Streptococcus sp bacteria.

The agency’s report pointed out that because of pollution and changeable weather, which weakened resistance, bacteria killed the fish.

As for the Hon Thi farming area, mass fish deaths have repeatedly occurred this year. Forty-three households have reported fish deaths in 870 cages of hundreds of tons, which caused losses of tens of billions of dong.

Pollution was the reason behind the mass fish deaths. Vibrio alginolyticus, a type of anaerobic bacteria, was found in the water sample taken there.

Officials also found evidence showing there was a lack of oxygen in cage.

In other provinces Binh Thuan and Phu Yen, farmers are also facing problems with their aquaculture activities. 

Nguyen Quoc Thoi from the Ca Mau Information and Science & Technology Application Center, emphasized the necessity of controlling the waste in shrimp ponds and prepare ponds thoroughly for every crop; manage erosion of the water flow; control the feed, pond water color; select the appropriate water supply; gather waste and avoid stirring waste in the ponds; and remove pollutants from the ponds.

In Soc Trang province, farmers in March – August, with the assistance from scientists, tried shrimp farming with BioWish, a biological product, and found satisfactory results: the feed cost was lower, and shrimp have better health and higher resistance against diseases.


Thanh Mai