Visiting the U Minh Thuong fish area, listening to people tell stories about how they made a living from raising fish.

Cá đồng - Ảnh 1. — People in U Minh Thuong raise tilapia and black apple snails, bringing in quite high economic value - Photo: CHI CONG

The U Minh Thuong region has long been known as the "fish bag" of the West. Residents here have turned their existing advantages such as fertile land, vast with abundant fish resources into economic models or to escape poverty and get rich right on their homeland.

Mr. Ly Hong Dien - a person with experience in raising freshwater fish in Kinh Nam hamlet - said that in the past, freshwater fish (perch, catfish, snakehead fish and many other freshwater fish) lived in the Upper U Minh area in great numbers. There were countless fish but their economic value was not high. Some people caught fish to make fish sauce to sell for extra income.

However, due to many reasons, especially overfishing, the amount of local freshwater fish has become depleted, decreasing by about 60-70% compared to before.

Knowing that freshwater fish are easy to raise, require little food, have little loss, and grow quickly, Mr. Dien decided to reclaim 1 hectare of land to raise natural fish.

Cá đồng - Ảnh 2. — The natural shrimp and fish farming model in U Minh Thuong is developing strongly - Photo: CHI CONG

"There are many ways to raise wild fish, but I choose to raise them naturally. If there is rice bran or any suitable food, I feed the fish and grow more water lilies to sell. My family's 1 hectare area is divided into two farming areas, so I catch and sell fish in rotation, earning 30 million VND per fish catch and sale," Mr. Dien boasted.

In addition to raising freshwater fish, he also raises black apple snails, catfish, tilapia, and striped snakehead fish to exploit ecotourism .

Tourists coming to U Minh Thuong can experience fishing by themselves and then prepare many delicious dishes typical of the West, such as fish sauce hotpot, fried fish or porridge...

Cá đồng - Ảnh 3. — An aerial view of the fish and shrimp farming model intercropped with bananas brings high economic value to the people of U Minh Thuong - Photo: CHI CONG

"With this tourism exploitation model, I can earn an additional 500,000 VND/day. Tourists love fishing. I also plan to exploit more by setting nets, traps, and traps so that visitors can freely experience it," said Mr. Dien.

According to Mr. Nguyen Van Den - head of Kinh Nam hamlet (U Minh Thuong commune), Kinh Nam hamlet now has nearly 100 households raising natural freshwater fish, some of whom exploit and combine it with garden ecotourism to develop their family economy.

The model of raising freshwater fish, growing water lilies and fruit trees has households earning 100 million VND/ha/year. People are now aware of preserving and raising freshwater fish. Some households even have the idea of regenerating resources by releasing fish with eggs back into the natural environment for reproduction.

Local authorities encourage people not to catch young fish or fish in an destructive manner to protect freshwater fish resources.