New technology fish cage farming in Tuong Duong

(Baonghean.vn) - Taking advantage of the three hydroelectric reservoirs of Ban Ve, Khe Bo and Nam Non, recently Tuong Duong district has implemented a new technology fish cage farming project on the reservoir.

Households are raising fish in new cages on the lake bed.

Tuong Duong district has over 10,000 hectares of water surface area in the reservoirs of 3 hydropower plants Ban Ve, Khe Bo and Nam Non, which is very favorable for aquaculture. In early 2016, implementing the province's agricultural development investment policy, Tuong Duong district launched a project to develop new technology fish cage farming on the reservoir. People were supported with 492 million VND to build 82 new fish cages on the reservoir, including 39 pilot cages applying new technology in 4 communes: Xa Luong, Thach Giam, Tam Thai, Huu Khuong and Tuong Duong town. Households also provided nearly 3,500 kg of fish fry to participating households.

New technology fish cage. Photo by Thanh Tung

Talking to us about the advantages of the new technology fish cage farming model, Ms. Nguyen Thi Binh - Head of the District Agricultural Extension Station said: Compared to the conventional form of fish cage farming, the new technology fish cage farming has advantages: The cage is placed in the lake bed, the water level rises and falls erratically and can be moved easily, the raw material for making the cage is made of flexible plastic called HDPE, which is highly durable, and the net used to make the cage is a special type of net, compact and cheap. With a convenient structure, it is possible to arrange an automatic fish feeding system, making it more convenient for farmers to feed the fish.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Binh also added: “The KN Station has provided technical training on new technology fish cage farming on the lake bed. The minimum cage construction technique is 4m in length and width, 2m-2.5m in depth, the larger the cage, the faster the fish grow, the minimum must be over 15m3. According to the people, cage fish farming is not difficult, and can take advantage of local food.”

Mr. Lo Van Nguyen - Ban Canh Trap, one of the households who boldly accepted to implement the model, could not hide his joy and said, "With the district's support in building cages, fish breeds, and capital, we also had the advantage of taking advantage of the water surface, feeding the fish with elephants and clean grass from the fields. The fish grew quickly, after about 6 months the fish weighed 2kg-2.5kg."

Ms. Lo Thi Tra My - Vice Chairwoman of Xa Luong Commune People's Committee said: "Previously, the commune had 19 cages. Recently, there was a program to support the construction of new fish cages. The commune has promoted and mobilized 11 households to participate. Now the commune has 32 cages that bring economic efficiency."

Although it has just been put into testing and is still in the process of development, but through practical testing after more than 6 months of releasing fish, it shows that the new technology fish cage farming model on the hydroelectric reservoir in Tuong Duong district has good fish development, with an estimated average income of 25-30 million VND/crop per cage.

May Huyen Vi Man

(Xiangyang Radio)