Nam An keeps the forest green, the stream clean to raise sturgeon

BHG - To raise sturgeon, first of all, we must protect the forest and clean water sources. With that awareness, the Dao ethnic people in Nam An village, Tan Thanh commune (Bac Quang) have persistently protected each stream and forest to create a long-term livelihood from this specialty fish. Thanks to the right development, the lives of the people here are improving day by day.

Nam An village is located at an altitude of nearly 800m above sea level. The streams originating from the old forest flow down to the village, clear and cool all year round. This is an ideal condition for raising cold-water fish with high economic value such as sturgeon. Realizing that potential, a few years ago, some households in the village boldly took the lead, investing in building sturgeon ponds right below the source areas. Seeing the obvious effectiveness, people learned from each other to develop the fish farming model. Up to now, 37/44 households in the village are engaged in fish farming and Bao Minh Cooperative and Nam An Sturgeon Cooperative have also been formed, creating a sustainable link between aquaculture households. This specialty fish has helped many families change their lives, become well-off, with an income of more than 100 million VND per year, the highest household reaching about 700 million VND per year.

Delegates visited the MET technology water treatment system in aquaculture of Nam An Sturgeon Cooperative, Tan Thanh commune (Bac Quang).

As the first and most experienced sturgeon farmer in the region, Mr. Trieu Chan Loang, Director of Nam An Sturgeon Cooperative, said: “Sturgeon is a difficult species, with large investment capital and high risk. If the stream is turbid or polluted, the fish will be weak, slow to grow, or even die. Therefore, farmers must strictly follow the process and techniques, and protect the water source and ecological environment. This year, my family raised about 10 tons of commercial fish, the selling price to traders is from 170,000 to 200,000 VND/kg, if favorable, we will make a profit of more than half a billion VND. In addition, I also researched and studied how to breed fish to provide to people, helping to proactively source fish on the spot and reduce input costs. I see that expanding the sturgeon farming model is bringing dual values, both developing the economy and preserving the environment.”

To keep the forest green and the stream clean to protect the livelihood of sturgeon, Nam An village has maintained 4 mass forest protection teams. With more than 2,000 hectares of protective forest assigned, in 2024, the village community was paid more than 533 million VND and households received more than 1.4 billion VND from the forest environmental service policy. Regarding the community's money, the village used it for the right purpose to spend on patrolling, protecting the forest, and building warning signs in the forest. The rest, the village discussed and agreed to use for upgrading, repairing, expanding rural roads and installing lighting systems, serving the people's lives, contributing to changing the appearance of the village.

People in Nam An village, Tan Thanh commune (Bac Quang) develop sturgeon farming.

Ms. Trieu Mui Chi, Nam An village shared: “The convention on forest protection in the community is mentioned over and over again in village meetings. Every person here clearly understands that if the forest is cut down, the water source will be depleted, the sturgeon cannot survive, and their livelihood will be lost. Therefore, people are very conscious and responsible for protecting the forest, strictly prohibiting violations of the forest. People do not spray chemicals in agricultural production to avoid affecting the water source, packaging, and waste from livestock are all collected and treated cleanly. With a clean environment, sturgeon raised in the second year or more will reach a weight of about 1.8 - 2.5 kg to become commercial fish sold on the market.”

In parallel with the implementation of the forest environmental service payment policy, in order to develop sustainable sturgeon farming and minimize risks caused by natural disasters, Nam An sturgeon cooperative has recently received financial support from the Swiss Government to install a modern MET water treatment system. This is a completely mechanical water treatment solution, does not use chemicals, does not consume electricity, does not use filter cores but still effectively removes impurities, heavy metals, microorganisms, and toxic chemicals. Along with that, 26 households in the cooperative were supported to build a system to filter raw water used for fish farming before discharging it into the environment.

Leaving the journey to explore Nam An, we learned that, in order to further exploit the existing potential and strengths, the Party Committee and the government of Tan Thanh commune have oriented the village to build a community eco-tourism model, combining the experience of Dao ethnic culture and visiting and learning about the process of raising sturgeon. That is a way to create more income for the people and contribute to spreading the message of green development, harmony between people and nature.

Article and photos: MOC LAN

Source: https://baohagiang.vn/kinh-te/202506/nam-an-giu-rung-xanh-suoi-sach-nuoi-ca-tam-edd3b7e/