Aqua farms on Sơn La reservoir

July 08, 2017 - 09:00

Floating cage fish farming has been a spearhead in Mường La Commune’s fight against poverty over the past few years.

Honest work: A fish farmer casting his net over a floating cage. — VNA/VNS Photo Phan Tuấn Anh
Viet Nam News

Floating cage fish farming has been a spearhead in Mường La Commune’s fight against poverty over the past few years.

Taking advantage of the vast water surface of the 9.3 billion cubic metre Sơn La Hydropower Station reservoir, one of the largest in Asia, the Sơn La Province locals have established large scale floating cages as an alternative to traditional fishing methods in the past.

Construction of the Sơn La Hydropower Station has forced thousands of local families to relocate and find new work. Aqua farming was chosen as the region’s focus in economic development.

The move received tremendous support from the provincial government, who transferred knowledge and technology to local fishermen and provided them with financial support to set up farms.

The floating cages are simple to build and relatively inexpensive. With a budget as small as US$5,000 a farmer can set up 5 to 6 large cages, which may return the farmer’s initial investment in just one year given the right conditions.

With an aim at sustainable development for the Sơn La’s aqua farming industry, the provincial authority has launched a programme to attract skilled workers and scientists, hold regular seminars to provide farmers with technical know-how and build the province’s own brand for aqua products. — VNS

Glorious office: A bamboo floating cage set up in the water of the resevoir. — VNA/VNS Photo Phan Tuấn Anh
Glassy water: Boats are a popular mode of transport in this part of the country. — VNA/VNS Photo Phan Tuấn Anh
Make way for commerce: The new Huổi Lóng Village, hundreds of families resettled by the side of the reservoir, one of the largest in Asia. — VNA/VNS Photo Phan Tuấn Anh
Devoted: A fish farmer checks on his floating cage on the Sơn La reservoir. — VNA/VNS Photo Phan Tuấn Anh

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