Quang Ninh Department of Agriculture and Rural Development director Nguyen Minh Son said at a recent conference that developing the maritime farming in a sustainable way is the top priority of the province.

Son said Quang Ninh has determined the local advantages in developing maritime farming in a way which doesn’t cause conflicts with the tourism sector, but generates added value.

Regarding the zoning for maritime farming development, the agriculture department has allocated waters to farmers for 30 years. In order to create favorable conditions for enterprises to use and develop aquaculture, Quang Ninh gathered strength to treat the maritime environment in 2023.

The current maritime farming areas are highly appreciated by the province’s leaders as they use environmentally-friendly materials and apply higher standards. Also, the provincial authorities are considering setting a reasonable legal framework that fits the current specific conditions of the locality.

Son went on to say that Quang Ninh is the locality leading in maritime farming thanks to the strong determination to adjust and plan the maritime farming in a way so as to bring a better life to farmers, protect the blue sea and develop the fisheries.

However, Luan complained that when planning the space for maritime farming development, the boundaries ‘have been drawn too bold’, and no one dares to go beyond the ‘boundaries’. 

Meanwhile, he believes that the space for aquaculture should not be limited within the boundaries, but should go beyond the lines and integrate with other business fields, such as tourism.

“In my childhood, when we could catch a fish, we felt terribly enjoyable. It is great to see small fish swimming on the surface water and bigger fish swimming lazily deeper down. Why don’t we think of combining maritime farming with tourism and entertainment services?” he said.

However, the official stressed that in all cases, Vietnam needs to take the activities to reduce emissions and go green as it has committed to the world..

Chair of the Vietnam Maritime Farming Association Nguyen Huu Dung commented that the potential of maritime farming is great, but farmers are facing difficulties.

To date, no locality can allocate waters to enterprises and farmers to manage, which remains a big barrier. However, Luan affirmed that allocating the waters with an area of 3 miles are within the jurisdiction of district authorities, and 3-6 miles within the jurisdiction of provincial authorities.

Tam An