Aquaculture in Cam Ranh Bay: People are not allowed to encroach on restricted waters.

The uncontrolled and widespread aquaculture activities in Cam Ranh Bay have led to numerous negative consequences, not only encroaching on maritime structures but also violating prohibited waters within the bay. Currently, provincial authorities and local governments are urgently developing plans to relocate aquaculture cages in Cam Ranh Bay to permitted areas and establish specific regulations for cage aquaculture activities within the bay.

In recent times, the spontaneous and widespread aquaculture activities by local residents, at times reaching over 100,000 submerged and floating cages, with buoys strung across the surface of Cam Ranh Bay, have created numerous difficulties for local authorities in managing the area. This has negatively impacted the aesthetics and environment of the farming region, created conflicts of interest among local socio -economic sectors, and, most notably, encroached upon maritime structures and violated prohibited waters. To address this situation, functional forces and local authorities have continuously patrolled, inspected, and educated residents to relocate their cages and rafts out of prohibited waters, resulting in a significant reduction in violations. However, as of mid-July 2025, there were still 89 aquaculture households and 5 households operating floating houses violating prohibited waters in Cam Ranh Bay.

Aquaculture cages are being used outside the designated areas in Cam Ranh Bay.

According to Mr. Le Dinh Khiem, Head of the Fisheries, Sea and Islands Sub-Department, aquaculture households need to urgently relocate their cages from prohibited waters to permitted areas. In the coming time, functional agencies will continue to deploy inter-agency inspection teams at the provincial level to inspect and handle violations by households in prohibited waters; and supervise and urge communes and wards along Cam Ranh Bay to decisively address cases of households with aquaculture cages in prohibited waters in Cam Ranh Bay and other areas where aquaculture is not permitted, as directed by the Provincial People's Committee. Recently, the Department of Agriculture and Environment also sent a document to the People's Committees of Nam Cam Ranh, Cam Ranh, and Cam Linh communes and wards requesting them to urgently coordinate with relevant units to inspect and decisively handle encroachment on prohibited waters, and to relocate cages to permitted aquaculture areas in the sea area belonging to Nam Cam Ranh commune, with a total area of ​​884.56 hectares.

In parallel with addressing the encroachment on prohibited waters for aquaculture, the Sub-Department of Fisheries, Marine and Islands is currently advising the Department of Agriculture and Environment to submit to the Provincial People's Committee a regulation on cage aquaculture activities in the Cam Ranh Bay area. This regulation includes conditions for cage aquaculture operations, infrastructure requirements, criteria for equipment, materials, breeds, feed, and the use of drugs, chemicals, biological products, and environmental treatment products in aquaculture; ensuring hygiene, waste treatment, disease prevention, harvesting, record keeping, etc.; and specifying the location of aquaculture areas in Nam Cam Ranh commune. Notably, the criteria for aquaculture cages made of HDPE, FRP, etc., must have strong connections, high durability and flexibility, be oxidation-resistant, acid and alkali resistant, and impact-resistant; ensuring no environmental pollution, no toxicity to farmed aquatic animals, and maintaining aesthetic appeal. The cage system is capable of withstanding a minimum wind speed of 6-7, wave height of 2-4m, and moderate current velocity (0.5-1m/s). The planned transition from traditional cages to high-quality, new-material cages aims to convert 10% of the current cages by the end of 2025, 50% in 2026-2027, and all cages in 2028-2029.

To effectively manage aquaculture, the People's Committees of communes and wards bordering Cam Ranh Bay need to urgently develop plans and organize the relocation and arrangement of aquaculture cages in their localities to permitted sea areas; and at the same time, allocate sea areas to aquaculture households according to their authority. In addition, it is necessary to strengthen inspection and supervision of aquaculture activities, strictly handle violations, and resolutely prevent the emergence of new aquaculture cases outside the designated areas.

HAI LANG

Source: https://baokhanhhoa.vn/kinh-te/202508/nuoi-trong-thuy-san-tren-vinh-cam-ranh-nguoi-dan-khong-duoc-xam-pham-vung-nuoc-cam-6ce07c2/