Mekong Delta loses thousands of billions of dong due to shrimp deaths

According to the fisheries sector of coastal provinces in the Mekong Delta: From the beginning of May until now, 78,796 hectares of water surface for black tiger shrimp farming in coastal provinces have died, equivalent to the area of ​​shrimp that died in 2011.

Shrimp died in large numbers from May to September, concentrated in the provinces of Soc Trang, Ca Mau, Tra Vinh, Kien Giang and Bac Lieu. Of these, 30,000 hectares of shrimp died from acute hepatopancreatic necrosis syndrome, and over 40,000 hectares were damaged by other diseases.

Dead shrimp cause a loss of at least 75 million VND/ha. Photo: laodong.com.vn

In the remaining area, shrimp died due to polluted water environment. According to experts' calculations, only calculating the lowest loss of 75 million VND per hectare (equivalent to 500 kg/ha raised in improved extensive farming, selling price of 150,000 VND/kg), the total loss in 2012 was nearly 6,000 billion VND.
The results of water quality analysis by scientific agencies in areas where shrimp died showed that water in damaged ponds contained pesticides Cypermethrin and Deltamethrin, which cause hepatopancreatic necrosis in shrimp. These substances can enter the pond from canals or be found in fish killers used by farmers. This is one of the causes of shrimp poisoning.

In addition, shrimp deaths are also due to farmers not following the crop schedule, not complying with environmental management regulations (discharging wastewater, mud, dead shrimp from infected ponds into the environment), poor quality of shrimp seeds, loose management of production and trading of aquatic feed, chemicals, veterinary drugs, and unsynchronized infrastructure for shrimp farming.

In order to minimize the above situation in the coming time, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development directs the fisheries sector of the coastal provinces of the Mekong Delta to strengthen the irrigation system serving aquaculture, strengthen waste control, inspect and tighten the management and control of shrimp breeds, minimize the situation of introducing poor quality shrimp breeds into farming; convert part of the industrial farming area to semi-intensive farming or improved extensive farming in concentrated farming areas but lacking clean water sources.
Provinces encourage farmers not to use banned chemicals or pesticides to kill unwanted fish to treat the pond environment (first of all, Cypermethrin and Deltamethrin) because these are toxic substances that kill shrimp, are insoluble in water, and do not decompose in sunlight.

Provinces strengthen inspection and examination of establishments producing and trading veterinary medicines for aquatic animals, feed, and products for treating and improving the environment in aquaculture, promptly detecting and preventing the use of banned substances in aquaculture in the locality.

According to (baotintuc) - HV