Shrimp farmers in Nghe An dismantle thousands of square meters of net houses to prevent storm No. 3
Faced with the complicated developments of storm No. 3, in coastal shrimp farming areas in Nghe An, people are on duty to take measures to protect net houses, minimizing damage when the storm makes landfall.
Actively remove the cover net
Storm No. 3 (Wipha) is approaching the mainland, and may directly affect provinces from Hai Phong, Quang Ninh to Nghe An. Many shrimp farmers in net houses are worried, focusing on reinforcing net frames, tying roofs, and moving important materials and equipment to higher places.
Observations show that some net houses used for shrimp farming in Hai Chau commune (former Dien Chau district) have been dismantled and rolled up to avoid damage from storms. The frames have also been crisscrossed with cables.
In the high-tech shrimp farming area in An Chau commune (former Dien Chau district), many farms are checking their electrical systems, machinery, and pond water levels to prevent heavy rain from overflowing the banks. Shrimp pond owners are also on duty 24/7 to monitor the storm's developments.
Mr. Nguyen Cuong - owner of a shrimp farm in An Chau commune, said: "Following the storm information on the newspaper, this storm has strong gusts of wind, possibly level 11-12. However, for Nghe An it will be milder, but the family is still not subjective. Before the storm, the family strengthened the anchor ropes to hold the net house frame. As for the cover net, according to the design, it will withstand level 8 winds, so the family is always on duty to monitor and arrange human resources, if the wind gusts strongly, they will promptly remove the ropes to pull the net down, to ensure safety."
In addition to concerns about infrastructure, many households are also concerned about the possibility of affecting shrimp stocks due to weather fluctuations. According to shrimp farmers, if floodwaters flood brackish water shrimp, the shrimp will be shocked and difficult to handle, and will be considered a total loss. Although shrimp farms have designed drainage systems for each pond, floodwaters overflowing during heavy rains is likely to occur.
Currently, many shrimp farming areas in Nghe An are entering the mid- and late-season stages, with shrimp yields in ponds quite high. Early disaster prevention, especially in high-tech shrimp farming systems and closed net houses, will play an important role in helping farmers reduce damage and stabilize production after storms.
The entire steel frame needs to be checked.
Along with protecting the net house, the agricultural sector recommends that shrimp farmers actively monitor official weather information, not be subjective when the storm has not yet arrived, and need to be ready with a recovery plan after the storm. In case of emergency, it is necessary to cut off the electricity to the entire farming area, move people and important materials out of the danger zone.
Experts recommend that to limit damage to greenhouses caused by storms, before the storm hits, it is necessary to:Check the entire steel frame, columns, and beams for rust or looseness. If so, weld and tighten them. Use steel cables or straps to anchor the mesh frame to the concrete pillars firmly, especially at the corners, where it is susceptible to strong winds.
Roll up or remove some of the windbreak and rainscreen nets if they are not needed or can be blown away by the wind. Use rope to tie the net firmly to the frame to avoid the net from coming loose, tearing or damaging the frame in strong winds. Dredge the drainage ditches around the greenhouse to ensure that rainwater drains quickly and does not cause flooding.
In Nghe An, there are currently 105 facilities applying high-tech shrimp farming models with a total area of more than 202 hectares, including 51 facilities raising in floating cages and net houses.
