Heat wave in the Central region, drought in the Central Highlands, saltwater intrusion in the South, storms and floods in the Northern provinces cause great damage and impact on aquaculture.

To ensure the goals and plans for aquaculture growth, stable production development, and meeting the demand for aquatic raw materials for processing and export, the agricultural sector is boosting production to compensate for the damage caused by storm No. 3 and complete the production plan for the whole year of 2024, as well as creating a premise for the following years.

Overcoming difficulties in domestic production, Vietnam's seafood exports are adapting, adjusting markets and opening new markets, which will help seafood export turnover recover to 9.5 - 10 billion USD in 2024. Total aquaculture output is estimated at 5.86 million tons.

According to Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Phung Duc Tien, implementing the direction of the Government and Prime Minister in Resolution No. 143/NQ-CP dated September 17, 2024, Official Dispatch No. 100/CD-TTg dated September 27, 2024 and Official Dispatch No. 108/CDTTg dated October 18, 2024 on focusing on directing and implementing measures to quickly restore agricultural production after storm No. 3 and floods, specifically for aquaculture, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has directed the immediate transportation of materials, chemicals, and breeds supported by enterprises to localities so that farmers have capital to restore production.

Storm No. 3 caused heavy damage to 2,700 aquaculture facilities in Quang Ninh province, equivalent to nearly VND 3,700 billion. Many fishermen were left with almost nothing, but they were still determined to restore production. Immediately after receiving a loan of 500 million VND from the bank, Mr. Tran Van Tuan, resident of Hoang Tan commune (Quang Yen), immediately started reinforcing, closing the cages, and buying fish to resume production. Because now is the right time to resume production, if it is later, winter will come, the production efficiency will not be high.

Seeing the scene of 280 fish cages of his family being almost completely destroyed by storm No. 3, Mr. Pham Van Than, Van Don district, almost lost all interest. However, with the encouragement of the government, and being assigned an aquaculture area by the People's Committee of Van Don district, Mr. Than has more motivation to rebuild production after the storm. Mr. Than shared that being assigned the sea is like having a red book on land, this is the basis for fishermen to feel secure in investing and borrowing capital to develop aquaculture. If "everything goes smoothly", in just 2 years, people can recover and repay the bank.

Currently, most fishermen in Van Don, Cam Pha, Quang Yen... in Quang Ninh province have also started to restore production. In the coming time, the number of aquaculture establishments restoring production will gradually increase if they have access to preferential loans to have resources to recover and continue to rebuild production after the storm.

Chairman of Quang Ninh Provincial People's Committee Cao Tuong Huy believes that with the determination to 'live for the sea, get rich from the sea', aquaculture enterprises, cooperatives and households will soon overcome difficulties and restore production in a sustainable manner.

With its favorable location and natural conditions, Khanh Hoa currently has over 97,000 aquaculture cages. However, the cages mainly use wooden and iron frames. People's farming technology is still backward, most of them use fresh food, and the density of farming in farming areas is not guaranteed, so the risks of the environment, natural disasters and epidemics are very high. Khanh Hoa has determined that it must develop high-tech marine aquaculture to achieve good production efficiency as well as adapt well to natural disasters and climate change. The province is expanding the high-tech marine aquaculture development model throughout the province, with the goal of reaching 240 hectares of high-tech marine aquaculture by 2029.

According to Mr. Nguyen Duy Quang, Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Khanh Hoa province, in the pilot phase, Khanh Hoa selected 10 farming households that met all criteria and conditions to participate and supported 16 HDPE round cages (plastic material, resistant to storms and rain, easy to move), to raise marine fish and lobsters. The development of the aquaculture model using floating HDPE cages has helped increase productivity and output, and is able to withstand strong waves and winds, so farmed fish grow and develop well. From the pilot model, in 2026-2027, Khanh Hoa will have about 30 hectares for 150 households and in 2028-2029, expand high-tech marine farming to 110 hectares for 550 households.

Deputy Minister Phung Duc Tien requested that provinces and cities guide people to breed aquatic products in areas that proactively control farming conditions; focus on managing and taking good care of key farming species (brackish water shrimp, pangasius). Localities encourage the development of high-value aquatic species such as marine fish, mollusks, seaweed, tilapia, cold-water fish, etc. and indigenous and endemic aquaculture species to promote the potential of natural advantages for all types of aquaculture in freshwater, brackish water, cold water, at sea, and in reservoirs, etc.

The northern provinces organize guidance on technical measures for production and aquaculture during the winter crop in conditions of deep temperature drops and possible prolonged cold, Deputy Minister Phung Duc Tien emphasized.

According to Mr. Tran Dinh Luan, Director of the Department of Fisheries, localities need to closely monitor weather developments, carry out environmental monitoring and warnings in key aquaculture areas, and promptly advise farmers to effectively respond to adverse environmental conditions. Competent agencies closely inspect, monitor, and take timely measures to handle disease situations, preventing disease outbreaks during off-season production. To meet the demand for commercial farming or support people to restore production in areas damaged by storm No. 3, localities proactively guide and connect localities and businesses producing seeds, feed, environmental treatment products, materials and equipment for aquaculture. At the same time, organize supervision of seed production and circulation activities, to prevent speculation, profiteering and unreasonable price manipulation.

Deputy Minister Phung Duc Tien suggested that localities have solutions to support businesses, cooperatives, cooperative groups and farmers to link up in production and consumption of products in the value chains of aquatic products. There are solutions to reduce production costs such as improving farming techniques to increase survival rates, increase productivity, reduce feed conversion ratios, reduce consumption of production materials, and manage and maintain good farming environments. Enterprises, cooperatives, and cooperative groups continue to invest and develop value-added aquatic products, OCOP, Halal, etc. to promote domestic consumption and expand export markets.

Source: Tin Tuc Newspaper