Exploiting further the strengths of the fisheries economy

(Baonghean) - In the period 2010 - 2015, the output of Nghe An's seafood industry reached 145,000 tons, an increase of 45% compared to the target set by the Provincial Party Congress of the last term; that result is from the efforts of the fishermen in exploiting, processing, and raising aquatic and seafood products...

Buying fish at Lach Quen Fishing Port (Quynh Luu).

Decision No. 09/2012/QD - UBND of the Provincial People's Committee on promulgating regulations on a number of policies to support investment in agricultural and rural development in the province in the period of 2012 - 2015 has really removed difficulties for the fishing industry in the province. Accordingly, the budget supports 50% of the total cost to build a model of converting fishing occupations from inshore to offshore. Support 70% of the cost of training motorboat captains, support interest rates for investing in building new ships over 90CV. At the same time, to ensure communication, especially in natural disaster prevention, rescue, and salvage, support for purchasing long-range radio equipment for key fishing cooperatives, poor fishermen are supported with life buoys; for every establishment of a fishing cooperative, they will be supported with 10 million VND...

The above support policies create new motivation and spirit for fishermen to confidently go offshore to exploit fishing grounds, increase productivity and output, and at the same time, contribute to protecting the sea and islands of the Fatherland. Thanks to boats fully equipped with safety equipment and improved fishing gear, nearly 80% of squid fishing boats generate an average income of 80 - 100 million VND/worker/year; purse seine combined with light has a stable income of about 60 million VND/worker/year; trawling in Dien Chau district reaches an average of 50 - 60 million VND/worker/year.

The desire to go offshore, along with the support policies of the Party and the State, has contributed to the rapid increase in the number of offshore fishing vessels. Up to now, the whole province has 1,299 vessels with capacity from 90 CV - 1,577 CV, of which Quynh Luu district alone has 686. The annual seafood exploitation output of the district always accounts for 50% of the total exploitation output of the whole province. Mr. Dang Ngoc Binh, Vice Chairman of Quynh Luu District People's Committee, said: Every year, the district invests in a number of models to help fishermen change their jobs more effectively, equips all offshore fishing vessels with walkie-talkies, and actively directs the formation of nearly 140 cooperative groups to support each other in the process of exploiting at sea to achieve high efficiency.

People in Quynh Thanh commune (Quynh Luu) harvest shrimp.

Implementing the policy of building new offshore fishing vessels under Decree 67, as of August 30, 2015, the Provincial People's Committee has approved 75 ship owners eligible to build new fishing vessels (including 41 wooden-hulled vessels, 29 iron-hulled vessels, and 5 composite-hulled vessels). 35 ship owners have submitted documents to banks for loans, of which 14 ship owners have signed credit contracts with banks (2 iron-hulled vessels, 12 wooden-hulled vessels); for wooden-hulled vessels alone, 6 vessels have been completed and put into production, and 8 vessels are under construction. The total value of loan capital disbursed under Decree 67 (bank capital portion) is 28.832 billion VND/99.75 billion VND.

Regarding aquaculture, in recent years, in addition to traditional breeds, many new breeds have been effective. Secondary fish hatcheries have developed in many localities, providing quality fish breeds at reasonable prices. In particular, tilapia are kept over winter in large quantities, meeting the early release needs of farmers. The Aquaculture Breeding Center has introduced a number of new breeds such as sea bass, sea bream, and carried out breeding topics for black snakehead fish, eel... Mollusc farming in tidal flats (133 ha), cage fish farming in the sea, estuaries, clam and oyster farming have also developed, bringing economic efficiency; freshwater fish farming has a yield of 4 - 6 tons/ha, rice fish farming has a yield of 1 ton/ha. At the same time, the work of controlling the quality of breeds and the farming environment has been strengthened, minimizing unfavorable factors for farming activities...

Regarding seafood processing, there are currently both traditional and industrial processing methods. Traditional processing with two main products is fish sauce and various types of fish sauce; in 2014, the output of fish sauce reached 30 million liters and various types of fish sauce reached 6,200 tons. The activities of the cold storage system promote efficiency in preserving seafood products, contributing to increasing the value of farming and exploitation. At the same time, the processing of dry goods is increasingly developing strongly, meeting the increasing demand of consumers. Each year, 39 processing facilities in the province supply about 2,000 tons of dried seafood. In addition, the processing of fish meal to take advantage of low-quality exploited products or waste in seafood processing is invested by many enterprises...

According to the statistics of the General Statistics Office, the production value of Nghe An's fisheries sector in 2011 increased by 9.04%; the total fishery output in 2015 is estimated at 145,000 tons/plan of 100,000 tons, an increase of 45% compared to the plan. It is expected that in the whole period of 2011 - 2015, the growth rate of the fisheries sector's production value will reach an average of 8.5% - 8.7%, exceeding the set plan.

Quynh Lan