Part 4: Aquaculture prospects

Taking advantage of the Tien River water source, local people carry out aquaculture models, helping to get rich on the fertile island land bestowed by nature.
FISH FARMING - COMMUNITY TOURISM POTENTIAL

When mentioning Dong Thap , it is impossible not to mention the tra fish seed production profession, a traditional profession associated with many generations of islanders. Typically, Long Phu Thuan island commune is known as the "capital" of tra fish seeds not only in Dong Thap, but also in the Mekong Delta region. With nearly 500 hectares of aquaculture, of which nearly 300 hectares are tra fish seeds, this place has become the "cradle" that produces billions of fish seeds each year, providing high-quality seeds for the market.

Leaders of Tan Phu Dong commune (Dong Thap province) visited a high-tech shrimp farming model.

Sticking with the traditional fish farming profession, Mr. Truong Van Dien (Long Phu Thuan commune) shared: “Fish farming has been a family tradition from the past until now. Fish farming brings in profits many times higher than farming , so many households here have become rich.” In fact, thanks to the outstanding profits, fish farming in Long Phu Thuan island commune has helped many households stabilize their lives and become rich legitimately on the peaceful island land.

In recent years, the fish seed production industry has faced many challenges. Spontaneous and small-scale production often exposes people to the risk of unstable prices. Farming techniques are also highly dependent on experience and are susceptible to losses in adverse weather conditions, leading to high loss rates and uneven quality of fish seeds. These difficulties require collective solutions, closer and more sustainable connections.

People in Long Phu Thuan commune (Dong Thap province) carry out the egg pressing process to produce pangasius fish fry.

Realizing that, the local government established the Freshwater Fish Breeding Club in Long Phu Thuan commune, with 46 members participating, becoming an important "bridge" between households and companies and businesses.

The purpose of this Association is to gather people in the same profession of fish farming, share experiences, apply science and technology to improve product quality. Moreover, the Association also plays a role in linking consumption, contributing to bringing fish seed products to the market, not only domestically but also for export.

Besides the fish seed production profession, the model of raising fish in rafts on the river is also a unique highlight, bringing high economic efficiency to the people of Dong Thap. With the natural advantage of the gentle Tien River flowing through, Long Phu Thuan commune and Thoi Son ward take full advantage to develop this model. Long Phu Thuan commune alone has more than 1,230 rafts, an impressive number showing the strong development of the fish cage farming profession here.

The types of fish raised in cages are very diverse, from traditional fish such as: red tilapia, tilapia, snakehead fish to those with higher economic value such as: basa fish, snakehead fish, giant barb, carp. According to statistics in the first 6 months of 2025, the output of aquatic products harvested from cages of Long Phu Thuan commune is more than 11,966 tons, showing outstanding productivity and efficiency in the prospect of aquaculture in the upstream of Dong Thap.

Not only bringing economic value, fish farming also opens up a new direction with great potential for developing community tourism. Thoi Son Islet (Thoi Son Ward) with hundreds of fish cages on the Tien River, creating a charming river scene, is an ideal place to develop sightseeing and experience tours.

Tourists can come to learn about the fish farming process, feed the fish directly and enjoy special dishes prepared right on the raft. The combination of fish farming and tourism creates significant added value for the people; at the same time, promoting the image of the locality to tourists.

Mr. Nguyen Thanh Hoang (Thoi Son ward) shared: “I take advantage of fish rafts to develop community tourism such as: Tourists come to visit, take photos, watch the fish farming process, experience feeding fish and fishing on the river. Fish raft farmers develop community tourism combined with maintaining fish farming on Thoi Son islet”.

To develop sustainable fish farming, Thoi Son Ward People's Committee actively coordinates with relevant agencies to transfer science and technology, guide people to raise fish according to VietGAP standards, and gradually improve product quality.

Vice Chairwoman of Thoi Son Ward People's Committee Nguyen Thi Phuong Thuy said: "In the coming time, the locality will strengthen links with purchasing centers and processing enterprises to expand consumption markets. These are important solutions to help stabilize output, ensure livelihoods for fish farmers and create conditions for the development of Thoi Son island fish farming".
BREAKTHROUGH IN HIGH-TECH SHRIMP FARMING

While traditional fisheries are being consolidated and developed, Dong Thap is constantly striving to catch up with new trends in modern agriculture. That is the high-tech shrimp farming model in Tan Phu Dong islet commune, a clear demonstration of the "transformation". With an aquaculture area of up to 6,320 hectares, of which shrimp farming is the main industry, Tan Phu Dong commune identifies this as the economic spearhead of the locality.

The islands in Dong Thap province develop raft fish farming areas on the Tien River with potential for community tourism development.

Mr. Ngo Minh Tuan (Tan Phu Dong commune) successfully raised high-tech shrimp in a closed net house model in the locality. Mr. Tuan shared: “In 2015, I converted from the traditional shrimp farming model to high-tech farming. Up to now, the total area is 36 hectares, the output is stable; shrimp can be raised safely, risks are limited and profits are high”.

Currently, Tan Phu Dong commune has about 140 hectares of high-tech shrimp farming, bringing outstanding economic efficiency. This model helps people control the farming environment well, prevent diseases, thereby increasing productivity nearly double compared to traditional methods. This not only minimizes risks, but also significantly increases profits for farmers.

Raising fish in rafts on the river in Long Phu Thuan commune (Dong Thap province).

Chairman of Tan Phu Dong Commune People's Committee Le Thanh Dang said: "In the coming time, the commune will continue to restructure the agricultural sector associated with development towards commodity production, application of high technology, quality improvement, linked with processing industry and market".

With the support of the local government, people are being guided in science and technology, replicating the high-tech shrimp farming model. At the same time, Tan Phu Dong commune is focusing on building a shrimp brand, aiming to develop it into an OCOP product, expanding the consumption market both domestically and internationally. Building a brand not only helps to increase the value of the product, but also affirms the reputation and quality of Tan Phu Dong shrimp, bringing Dong Thap shrimp further into the foreign market.

The model of fish farming, fish seed production and high-tech shrimp farming brings high economic efficiency; at the same time, aiming at sustainable and quality agriculture. In addition, with the close connection between people, businesses and the government, the fishery industry continues to be an important driving force, contributing to the economic development of Dong Thap province.

DUONG UT - MINH THANH

Source: https://www.baodongthap.vn/kinh-te/202509/danh-thuc-tiem-nang-vung-dat-cu-lao-ky-4-trien-vong-nuoi-trong-thuy-san-1049609/