Nghe An's fisheries sector after 5 years of merger and development.

(Baonghean) - In the five years since joining the "Nghe An Department of Agriculture and Rural Development," Nghe An's fisheries economy has made significant and relatively comprehensive progress.

The province's total aquatic product output continued to grow in both aquaculture and fishing. Total output in 2011 reached 105,814 tons, an increase of 49.26% compared to 2006.

By 2011, the province had 4,201 boats and ships, an increase of 360 compared to 2006. Alongside the acquisition of larger boats with powerful engines and modern equipment such as radar, sonar, and GPS, fishing gear has also been improved to suit various fishing methods. Methods such as trawling for squid, crabs, and snails have been adopted by fishermen to catch live seafood, thereby increasing economic value. New fishing methods such as four-tiered squid trawling, gillnets, and offshore gillnets have been used to replace traditional methods.

Whiteleg shrimp farming is a new and developing occupation in Quynh Xuan commune, Quynh Luu district. Photo: Cong Sang.

Aquaculture continues to develop strongly in all aspects: In 2011, the area used for aquaculture reached 22,500 hectares; of which 2,000 hectares were brackish water aquaculture (1,732 hectares for intensive shrimp farming). Along with expanding the area of ​​rotational and intensive farming methods, the development of multiple cropping has contributed to increasing income per unit area. Concentrated aquaculture zones have been established to provide raw materials for processing and export, such as the shrimp farming areas of Quynh Xuan, Mai Hung, Quynh Bang, Trinh Mon, Hung Hoa, Nghi Thai, Dien Kim, etc.

Aquaculture productivity, especially shrimp farming, has been quite high. The average shrimp yield in 2011 reached nearly 6 tons/ha, with many models achieving yields of 10-15 tons/ha. This includes over 1,000 hectares dedicated to whiteleg shrimp farming. This is considered a "super profitable" crop, with yields of 15-20 tons/ha/year. Farmers with the necessary expertise and investment capital can achieve yields of 30-35 tons/ha and can raise three crops per year.

Alongside the development of aquaculture areas, the establishment of seed production areas has progressed significantly. By the end of 2011, the province had 64 first-level seed production facilities, including 7 freshwater fish seed production farms and 55 shrimp seed production farms. With the successful breeding of tiger shrimp, monosex tilapia, catfish, and most recently, whiteleg shrimp, Nghe An is now considered the aquatic seed center of the North Central region. In 2011, 910 million shrimp seeds of various types were produced. Inspection and quarantine of aquatic seeds have been implemented quite well; most seeds imported into the province, as well as those produced locally, undergo quarantine before being used in farming. Therefore, disease outbreaks are controlled, contributing to improved efficiency for farmers.

Seafood processing for the domestic market continues to develop, annually supplying the market with nearly 20 million liters of fish sauce, over 15,000 tons of fish meal, and 3,000 tons of various types of fermented fish paste. Along with the increase in quantity, the quality of products has also improved; many production facilities have built product brands and established a foothold in the market; and many seafood processing villages have been recognized and operate effectively.

The state has consistently paid attention to and invested in the infrastructure of the fisheries sector, from fishing ports and wharves to storm shelters and breeding areas, to aquaculture and breeding infrastructure. On average, the state invests 17 billion VND annually in the construction of technical infrastructure for aquaculture and breeding areas. Along with the state, farmers have invested over 20 billion VND annually in building pond systems and breeding farms. As a result, by 2011, over 1,000 hectares of intensive shrimp farming and 55 shrimp breeding farms had been established, and the first-level fish farming system had been upgraded.

Simultaneously, with investment in infrastructure and human resources, the State has issued many policies to support the development of the fisheries economy. Every year, the Provincial People's Committee allocates approximately 3 billion VND/year to support production through policies such as policies supporting the development of shrimp hatcheries, policies supporting the conversion of other areas to aquaculture, policies supporting interest rates for building new offshore fishing vessels, policies supporting chemicals for disease control, etc.

Scientific and fisheries extension work has also received significant attention and development. Many advanced technologies have been transferred, such as intensive shrimp farming technology, post-harvest product preservation technology on fishing vessels, the introduction of new high-economic-value species, whiteleg shrimp seed production technology, breeding technology for sea bass, black snapper, and goby; and commercial farming processes for high-economic-value species such as eels, yellowfin tuna, gobies, spiny softshell turtles, rainbow trout, spotted catfish, and cage crabs... which have initially proven effective and are being widely adopted.

Building on the traditions and achievements of its 82km coastline and thousands of hectares of existing ponds and lakes, Nghe An's fisheries sector strives to develop production by 2020 with the following objectives: A growth rate of 9-9.5% per year in fisheries production value during the 2011-2015 period, and 9.6-10% per year during the 2016-2020 period. Fisheries production value (at 1994 prices) is projected to reach VND 797,440 million in 2015 and VND 977,185 million in 2020. Total fisheries production is projected to reach 105,000 tons in 2015 and 110,000 tons in 2020; of which the production from fishing remains stable at 55,000-60,000 tons.

Developing the offshore fishing fleet and gradually reducing the inshore fishing fleet, the number of fishing vessels was stabilized at approximately 4,000 during the period 2011-2015. By 2020, the number of fishing vessels was reduced to approximately 3,600-3,700, with a catch volume of 55,000-60,000 tons.

Focus on effectively exploiting the potential of water resources, promoting intensive aquaculture development to create raw materials for processing and export based on the application of high technology in breeding and cultivation. Introduce new aquaculture species with high economic value, and build and develop Nghe An as a center for aquatic breeding in the North Central region.

Tran Huu Tien