Open direction for aquaculture in 2016

The Vietnamese seafood industry ended 2015 with many challenges and it is expected that 2016 will not be without challenges. Let's listen to experts share about the seafood industry last year and the development orientation for the coming time.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Thu Nguyet, Deputy Director General of the Directorate of Fisheries: Fisheries have not yet overcome difficulties.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Thu Nguyet, Deputy Director General of the General Department of FisheriesThe reason for the decline in seafood export value is that the world economy has only grown slightly, consumer demand in general, and for seafood products in particular, has increased again but is still at a low level. On the other hand, shrimp producing countries have restored production after the epidemic period, creating fierce competition with Vietnamese shrimp products. The anti-dumping tax rate on pangasius in the US market has not shown any signs of changing in a more positive direction, and the POR10 review results are even higher than the previous period.

In addition, weather factors such as high temperature, deep seawater intrusion causing increased salinity, and widespread thunderstorms in some months of the year have reduced the resistance of farmed shrimp, making them susceptible to pathogens; prices of raw aquatic products have decreased while supplies for farming have increased, and fishermen continue to be hindered in traditional fishing grounds, which are still unfavorable factors for aquaculture production.

Mr. Pham Khanh Ly, Head of Aquaculture DepartmentIn 2015, the Directorate of Fisheries directed localities to actively release seeds according to the seasonal framework, reduce the area of ​​white-leg shrimp while increasing the area of ​​black tiger shrimp. At the same time, build a disease-free shrimp production process in Soc Trang, Kien Giang, Tra Vinh for high efficiency. The shrimp-rice area in the Mekong Delta has changed very positively with a 30% increase in area, average yield up to 500 kg/ha (compared to 300 kg/ha as before). Along with the shrimp-rice form, in 2015, a series of safe shrimp farming models following VietGAP, ecological shrimp, high technology, especially the method of sparsely releasing shrimp, combined with adjusting the diet are being voluntarily replicated by farmers; because it reduces costs, increases productivity and product design, especially significantly reduces diseases.

Mr. Luu Van Huy, Director of the Fisheries Surveillance DepartmentThe Fisheries Surveillance Department has organized and maintained a 24/7 shift to operate the Movimar system. During the year, the system recorded nearly 3,000 fishing vessels on the data, received and warned 17,992 messages to fishing vessels. The Department has advised the Directorate of Fisheries to sign a hotline agreement between the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of the Philippines... At the same time, it has implemented a number of solutions to prevent and minimize the situation of Vietnamese fishing vessels and fishermen being arrested and handled by foreign countries. In 2016, the Fisheries Control Department continued to build its organizational structure and specialized fisheries control activities, conduct patrols, control, and specialized fisheries inspections at sea, maintain a hotline with other countries, implement storm and flood prevention and mitigation and mitigate fisheries-related natural disasters, and coordinate with shipyards to repair and upgrade 3 Fisheries Control ships, expected to be handed over to the Fisheries Control Department and put into use in the third quarter of 2016.

Mr. Pham Van Dong, Director of the Department of Animal Health, in the past year, the Department of Animal Health has taken drastic measures to prevent and control diseases in brackish water shrimp farming, finding timely solutions. Last year, white spot disease and hepatopancreatic necrosis increased due to fresh food (oysters, sea urchins); accordingly, farmers need to properly handle fresh food sources, apply safe biological farming methods, VietGAP, and monitor the use of biological products and chemicals to improve the environment.

Last year, over 56,000 hectares of aquaculture in the provinces were damaged, an increase of nearly 5% compared to 2014, along with over 31,000 aquaculture cages damaged by disease. Of which, the total area of ​​brackish water shrimp farming was damaged by over 52,000 hectares, an increase of 2.3% compared to the previous year. In 2016, to limit disease in aquaculture, the local and central governments coordinated well on disease prevention plans and implemented effective environmental treatment solutions.

Mr. Nguyen Quang Hung, Director of the Institute of Marine Research: Adjusting the structure of the fishing industry

Mr. Nguyen Quang Hung, Director of the Institute of Marine Research, currently, the country has 113,000 ships, of which 31,000 have a capacity of 90 CV or more. However, the number of effective trawl fishing vessels is still very large, up to 12,500 ships. According to previous research, Vietnam has about 12,000 species of seafood, but a report is being researched, the number of seafood species has decreased significantly, it is necessary to consider sustainable exploitation. If compared with the planning until 2020, the number of ships has reached the set target, in which it is especially necessary to restructure the fishing profession in the direction of reducing, or even ending destructive fishing professions such as trawl fishing to both exploit and protect aquatic resources.

Mr. Le Tran Nguyen Hung, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Thua Thien - Hue: Improving the quality of infrastructure

Mr. Le Tran Nguyen Hung, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Thua Thien Hue, The major difficulty in strongly developing the local fisheries industry is that the fisheries infrastructure is among the weakest among coastal provinces in the country. Most of the fishing ports and boat anchorages are degraded, silted up, and boats cannot enter during low tide... In addition, other factors such as unstable consumption markets and incipient seafood processing...

Therefore, to develop sustainable marine fisheries, fisheries logistics also need to be invested in and developed accordingly to promote the efficiency of exploitation and fishing at sea of ​​offshore fleets in the future. At the same time, currently, the seed in the Central region mainly depends on the South, so the quality is uneven, production efficiency is not high; while input materials are still high. In the long term, it is necessary to proactively source seeds, ensure quality and sustainable efficiency.

Mr. Wilf Swartz, Fisheries Economist: Focus on sustainable exploitation and farming

Mr. Wilf Swartz, a fisheries economist, recently, Vietnam and 11 other countries have reached an agreement on the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), creating the world's largest free trade area. TPP will help eliminate tariff barriers on seafood products, boosting import and export capabilities between TPP participating countries.

For countries like Malaysia and Vietnam that are currently subject to high tariffs, the TPP can help seafood products from these countries reduce tariffs to penetrate TPP markets. For seafood, the TPP requires all members to ensure sustainable fisheries management, promote conservation of important marine species, combat illegal fishing and ensure food safety... If Vietnam's seafood industry wants to develop sustainably, it must also follow this trend.

Mr. Le Thanh Luu, Head of International Cooperation Department of Vietnam Fisheries Association: Connect to create strength

Mr. Le Thanh Luu, Head of International Cooperation Department, Vietnam Fisheries Association. In Vietnam today, 60-70% of production in the aquaculture industry is small-scale farming. It is difficult for individual farmers to benefit, but if they have the strength of the collective, such as participating in cooperatives, they will benefit more. This is also a form that is suitable for the trend.

In the context of Vietnam joining FTAs, TPP and the upcoming ASEAN Economic Community, it is clear that separate individuals cannot survive, they need to form joint ventures and join together to create strength. Accordingly, people should join together to form cooperatives, follow the correct standards and technological processes, create products of the same type, size and quality. Only then will they have the right to decide the selling price in the market.

According to Vietnam Fisheries