Developing marine aquaculture using HDPE plastic cages.

In 2025, the Agricultural Extension Centers of An Giang and Ca Mau provinces will develop a model for raising yellowfin snapper in HDPE cages, achieving VietGAP certification, as part of a central agricultural extension project. The model aims to link product consumption with ecotourism, creating synergistic value for farmers and the local community.

Báo An Giang•22/12/2025

The model was implemented on Hon Chuoi Island, Hamlet I, Song Doc Commune (Ca Mau) and in Hamlet II, Kien Hai Special Zone. As the project's direct supervisor, Mr. Danh Nhiet, an officer from the An Giang Provincial Agricultural Extension Center, stated: “To effectively implement the project, we collaborated with local authorities to organize training courses and provide technical guidance on fish care, disease prevention, and treatment. Simultaneously, we encouraged people to produce within a linked chain, using industrial feed to reduce risks and improve product quality and value.”

The demonstration site for yellowfin snapper farming, part of the project, is located at the household of Mr. Nguyen Quoc Van, Hamlet 1, Song Doc Commune ( Ca Mau ). Photo: LINH MUI

The application of HDPE cage technology helps marine aquaculture adapt to harsh wave and wind conditions, reduces environmental pollution, and contributes to the goal of green economic development in coastal and island areas. At the same time, it links production with experiential tourism to attract visitors, promote local products, and increase income.

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Mr. Le Minh Cong, residing in Hamlet II, Kien Hai Special Zone, said: “My family was selected by the Provincial Agricultural Extension Center as a demonstration site for raising yellowfin snapper in HDPE cages, achieving VietGAP certification. When participating in the project, I received support covering 60% of the costs for cages, fingerlings, feed, and disease prevention medication. In addition, I received 100% support for the assessment and VietGAP certification. After about 65 days of raising the fish, I noticed they grew quickly, had a survival rate of over 90%, and were less prone to disease thanks to following the center's procedures. My family is very confident in this new farming method and is striving to successfully implement the project to promote and replicate it for other farmers.”

Mr. Cong plans to collaborate with tourism services, introducing tourists to visit the fish cages firsthand and bring back products as gifts for their families. He was particularly impressed with the HDPE cages, which can bend with the waves and minimize damage during strong winds. Using industrial feed instead of trash fish reduces labor and contributes to protecting natural aquatic resources, as well as reducing plastic waste generated from farming activities.

With VietGAP-certified farming processes, farmers can trace the origin of their products, expand their markets through modern distribution channels, and elevate the brand image of seafood in An Giang and Ca Mau provinces. In the future, if replicated, this will be a marine farming model that brings high economic value to fishermen.

According to Mr. Nguyen Tien Chinh, a technical officer at the Ca Mau Provincial Agricultural Extension Center, developing industrial-scale, VietGAP-certified marine aquaculture using HDPE cages helps diversify livelihoods for fishermen. This is a step in line with the Government's sustainable marine aquaculture development plan, contributing to reducing pressure on natural marine resource exploitation, protecting coastal ecosystems, and affirming the role of the marine economy in the development of the Mekong Delta. Developing tourism from the model of farming yellowfin tuna at sea is a potential direction, creating double benefits by combining sustainable aquaculture with ecotourism experiences, helping fishermen have a stable source of income, improve their earnings, and feel secure in continuing their work at sea.

With a systematic approach, combining the application of science and technology with environmental awareness, the model of raising marine fish in HDPE plastic cages in general, and yellowfin snapper in particular, is becoming a new direction, helping people in the southwestern coastal and island regions to both prosper and protect resources, aiming for sustainable development of the marine economy in the future.