More than 400 fish breeding floating cages are located in Hòn Sơn Island in Kiên Giang Province’s Kiên Hải District. – VNA/VNS Photo Văn Sĩ

KIÊN GIANG – Marine caged aquaculture in Kiên Giang Province has offered high production efficiency and profits for farmers.

With a coastline of more than 200km and 143 islands, the Cửu Long (Mekong) Delta province has advantages for marine caged aquaculture.

The province, which has the largest number of floating cages for breeding marine aquatic species in the delta, has developed caged aquaculture in coastal areas for nearly 20 years.

The Tiến Đạt Co-operative in Kiên Hải District’s Lại Sơn Commune has 10 members who breed a total of more than 100 floating cages with various marine fish such as cobia, grouper and yellow pomfret.

Cobia and grouper are two species that have high survival rates, grow well and offer higher profit than other marine fish species, according to Lê Văn Xẻo, director of the co-operative.

Grouper can be harvested after nine to 10 months of breeding and can reach a weight of one kilogramme, and cobia can reach a weight of seven kilogrammes after nine to 10 months of breeding.

“I have implemented marine caged aquaculture for 18 years and it has stable economic efficiency,” Xẻo said.

All 10 members of the co-operative earn a profit between hundreds of millions to billions of đồng a year depending on their breeding scale, he said.

Nguyễn Thị Mỹ Hạnh in Lại Sơn has four floating cages breeding marine fish since 2018 and serves tourists visiting them.

Her family earns a profit of VNĐ1.5 billion (US$64,000) a year, she said.

Huỳnh Thanh Bình, deputy chairman of the Kiên Hải People’s Committee, said the district has plenty of natural foods for breeding marine fish.

The district plans to have 1,200 floating cages with a total output of 1,250 tonnes this year, he said.

It has bred 1,130 floating cages so far this year and harvested more than 200 tonnes, and most of the cages will be harvested soon, he said.

Besides marine fish, farmers in Kiên Hải’s islands have bred oysters and green lipped mussels to earn high profits.

The district has identified marine caged aquaculture as one of its strengths to develop its economy.

The district People’s Committee has instructed localities and relevant agencies to assist farmers to implement marine caged aquaculture, including providing them with soft loans and establishing aquaculture co-operatives which have guaranteed buyers.  

It has co-operated with the province's Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to provide farming techniques for farmers and check the quality of marine fish fry to improve breeding efficiency.

Quảng Trọng Thao, director of the department, said the province plans to have 4,000 floating cages for breeding marine aquatic species with an annual output of 4,100 tonnes this year.

It has bred more than 3,530 floating cages in the first half of this year.

To develop aquaculture sustainably, the province is implementing its marine aquaculture development plan for 2021-25, he said.

The province prioritises developing marine aquaculture, including breeding marine fish in floating cages, bivalve mollusks and other marine aquatic species, develops linkages among stakeholders in aquaculture and grants identification codes for floating cages which breed marine aquatic species.

It is tightening inspections of fish breeding areas and their water environments, improving the capacity of forecasting disease outbreaks and instructing farmers on preventive measures.  

It has strengthened applying advanced techniques in marine aquaculture, including using high-density polyethylene floating cages which are more resistant to winds, waves and storms than traditional wooden floating cages. — VNS