Sustainable development of cage fish farming

Phu Tho province boasts a diverse river system with three major rivers flowing through it: the Lo River, the Red River, and the Da River, along with numerous large lakes and dams. This provides favorable conditions for developing cage fish farming. Taking advantage of this, promoting intensive, bio-secure cage fish farming is becoming a sustainable approach that yields high economic returns.

Thanks to raising fish in cages on the Da River, Mr. Mac Ke Nghiep's family in Thanh Thuy commune has become quite well-off.

Mr. Thieu Minh The, from Dao Xa commune, could be considered the "king" of cage fish farming on the Da River in the former Thanh Thuy district, owning dozens of cages. He said: "The period from 2010 to 2015 can be considered the golden age of cage fish farming in Phu Tho . At its peak, there were more than 3,500 cages on the Da River, Bua River, Lo River, and various lakes and dams. In Thanh Thuy district alone, there were over 600 fish cages, with some households owning as many as 60-70 cages, supplying the market with tens of tons of specialty fish such as snakehead, black carp, grass carp, common carp, and tilapia annually, generating tens of billions of dong in revenue. Many households have transformed their lives thanks to cage fish farming."

However, from around 2017 onwards, due to the impact of climate change and frequent natural disasters, cage fish farming, especially cage fish farming on rivers, has declined significantly. Now, mainly households raising fish in cages in lakes and dams have room for further development.

Currently, the total area for aquaculture in the province is over 19,900 hectares, of which the area for intensive and semi-intensive farming is approximately 8,900 hectares. In addition, the province has 6,447 fish cages in localities with favorable conditions, mainly in the Hoa Binh hydroelectric reservoir area.

Fish farming in cages on Phuong Mao Lake in Tu Vu commune is less affected by natural disasters, ensuring stable development.

Along with expanding the farming area, people have focused on developing cage fish farming on a commercial scale, linked with product consumption. At the same time, they are switching to industrial cage farming, which is standardized, safe, efficient, sustainable, and environmentally friendly, aiming to create high-quality, branded products to meet the needs of markets inside and outside the province. To improve economic efficiency, people have diversified the traditional farmed species such as carp, grass carp, black carp, tilapia, sturgeon, and various types of catfish...

The main challenges facing cage fish farming today are that production is still largely spontaneous, not linked to environmental protection, and easily affected by natural disasters. In addition, there is a shortage of agricultural extension officers in communes with expertise in aquaculture. Many high-economic-value aquatic species still lack a reliable source of artificially produced broodstock.

There is still significant potential for developing intensive, bio-secure cage fish farming in Xuan Son Lake, Xuan Dai commune.

Mr. Nguyen Thanh Tung, Deputy Director of the Agricultural Extension Center, said: To develop cage fish farming in a sustainable direction and maximize the potential and advantages of the province, the Center has advised the Department of Agriculture and Environment to propose to the Provincial People's Committee to develop a zoning plan for aquaculture development in a concentrated manner, encouraging cage fish farmers to invest in intensive farming; building and implementing cage fish farming models, especially for high-economic-value aquatic species in localities with suitable conditions, particularly in reservoir areas such as Hoa Binh, Thuong Long, Xuan Son, Phuong Mao, Ngoi Ganh... At the same time, organizing technical training courses on farming, care, and disease prevention and treatment for cage fish, helping farmers improve their techniques and minimize losses due to disease outbreaks.

In addition, communes with the potential to develop cage fish farming should encourage households with the necessary conditions to participate; link the development of cage fish farming with community tourism and ecotourism; invest in equipment, and promote the application of technology... Thereby, increasing both the quantity and quality of cage fish in the province.

Quan Lam

Source: https://baophutho.vn/phat-trien-ben-vung-nghe-nuoi-ca-long-249412.htm