Breakthrough in the aquaculture sector

(Baonghean) - Implementing the Resolution of the 17th Provincial Party Congress for the 2010-2015 term, the Nghe An Fisheries sector has overcome difficulties from economic recession and the fluctuating situation of the sea and islands to "reach the finish line" of the Resolution's goals on fishing and aquaculture...

Strong development of large capacity fishing vessels

According to the statistics compiled by the Department of Exploitation and Protection of Aquatic Resources of the province, the total number of fishing vessels registered for management in the province is 3,968, a decrease of 353 compared to the beginning of the term of the 17th Provincial Party Congress, in line with the orientation of developing fishing vessels of the province. The number of small boats has decreased, but the total capacity of fishing vessels in the province has increased rapidly, currently reaching 443,764 CV (compared to the beginning of the term, it was 239,236 CV, an increase of 85%). And, if at the beginning of the term, the average capacity was 56 CV/vessel, now it has reached 111.84 CV/vessel. For vessels over 90 CV, the total capacity is 384,361 CV, the average capacity is 306.02 CV/vessel (at the beginning of the term, the average capacity was 204.63 CV).

The total number of workers in the fisheries sector in the province is currently 17,489, an increase of 5,057 workers compared to the beginning of the term. Large capacity boats should result in higher economic value for fishing output, increasing income for fishermen and protecting marine resources. The total output in 2014 reached 109,758 tons of various types of seafood, an increase of 82% compared to the beginning of the term, with an estimated value of 1,850 billion VND. In addition to focusing on developing the fishing profession, logistics services are also of interest to localities. For example, in Quynh Luu district, seafood processing villages have been formed such as fish sauce processing in An Hoa commune, dried squid processing in Quynh Long commune, and purse seine production and processing in Quynh Long commune, etc., creating jobs in their spare time for thousands of local workers.

Fishermen of Ho Trung Can in Than Ai block, Quynh Phuong ward (Hoang Mai town) prepare fishing gear to go out to sea.

Dien Ngoc is one of the leading localities in Dien Chau district in the maritime industry, the number of large-capacity vessels is increasing rapidly. Mr. Nguyen Van Dung - Vice Chairman of Dien Ngoc Commune People's Committee said: At the beginning of the term (2010), the total number of vessels in the commune was 366 (including 6 vessels of 90 CV or more) with a total main engine capacity of 16,500 CV. Up to now, the whole commune has 405 vessels, including 67 vessels of 90 CV or more participating in offshore fishing. In 2014, the seafood output of Dien Ngoc reached 13,200 tons, an increase of 1,700 tons compared to the beginning of the term. The commune identifies the marine economy as a spearhead in local economic development. In the coming time, promoting internal resources, Dien Ngoc will convert the trawling profession to the trawling and fishing professions, associated with protecting the sovereignty of the sea and islands according to Decree 67/CP of the Government; Building an offshore fishing fleet to rapidly increase export turnover and types of aquatic services. In addition, Dien Ngoc focuses on attracting investment in basic construction, upgrading dredging estuaries, anti-erosion dykes, consolidating anchorage areas to avoid and shelter from storms for boats...

Quynh Luu district is a locality that has strongly developed the fishing industry in recent years. With a 19.5 km long coastline, 2 estuaries (Lach Quen and Lach Thoi) and 9 coastal communes including Tien Thuy, Quynh Nghia, Son Hai, Quynh Thuan, Quynh Long, Quynh Tho, Quynh Bang, Quynh Minh, Quynh Luong... all have strongly developed fishing fleets. Currently, the district's fishing fleet has significantly changed in terms of quantity and engine capacity, the structure is towards gradually reducing small-capacity boats and gradually increasing large-capacity boats for more effective exploitation. Mr. Bui Xuan Truc, an officer of the Department of Agriculture of Quynh Luu district, said: Every year, the number of newly built offshore fishing vessels increases. In 2014, 95 new ships were built, bringing the total number of ships by the end of 2014 in the whole district to 1,272 ships, of which 662 ships had a capacity of over 90 CV, accounting for 54.71% of the total number of ships with engines in the district, an increase of 115 ships compared to 2013; the total engine capacity was 250,020 CV, the average capacity was 208 CV/ship, an increase of 32 CV/ship compared to 2013. Investing in large ships and large engines, so fishing efficiency was also improved. In 2014, the output of aquatic products exploited in Quynh Luu reached 43,500 tons, the total production value reached 971,463 billion VND. Currently, the district is supporting fishermen to promote procedures for borrowing capital to build new fishing vessels according to Decree 67/2014/ND-CP for 30 fishing vessel owners.

The installation of marine equipment in offshore fishing is a new development in the seafood exploitation industry. With the modern features of marine equipment in seafood exploitation, it helps the captain accurately determine the output of fish in the area, the fishing coordinates to decide to drop the net, so the number of nets on a sea trip is reduced, minimizing the impact on marine seafood resources, but the efficiency and output of exploitation are high. In addition, many other modern equipment and facilities are installed to serve seafood exploitation such as installing gillnet management equipment when operating at sea; making cold storage on fishing vessels with PU (Polyurethane) material... to increase the quality of caught products, while minimizing accidents and risks at sea.

In Quynh Luu alone, in 2014, 17 ICOM HF 1700 sets and 598 life buoys were distributed. Currently, in the district, the total number of horizontal detectors installed for offshore fishing is 47, 1 radar, 329 long-range communication devices and 100% of offshore fishing vessels have vertical detectors and walkie-talkies to communicate between vessels in groups and teams. Cooperative groups at sea have been established and developed, up to now the whole district has 100 cooperative groups. The models of offshore production teams have helped each other share information about fishing grounds, weather, production experience, support each other in handling risks at sea, organize logistics services, consume products, support and help the families of team members, coordinate with functional agencies to participate in protecting sovereignty at sea.

Aquaculture is booming

During the past term, with the attention and investment of the State, aquaculture in the province has developed remarkably in all aspects; aquaculture objects are increasingly diverse, aquaculture area and productivity have continuously increased over the years; the growth rate of aquaculture output in recent years has been quite high (average in the period 2010 - 2014 reached 15% per year).

Shrimp harvesting in Quynh Bang (Quynh Luu).

The Fisheries sector has also proposed many solutions to increase aquaculture productivity per unit area, diversify farming forms and breeding structures, apply scientific and technical advances to aquaculture, and minimize natural disasters and epidemics. It has directed the establishment of community groups for people to participate responsibly with each other, together preserving the farming environment for long-term development. Models applied to aquaculture include VietGAP shrimp farming model, winter shrimp farming model in canvas houses, ecological farming, intercropping, mud-free eel farming in cement tanks, fish farming in lakes and dams, etc. Developing white-leg shrimp farming in 14 communes, Ben Tre clam farming in 4 communes.

Sharing with us about the breakthroughs in the aquaculture sector during the past term, Mr. Nguyen Xuan Hoc - Head of Nghe An Aquaculture Sub-Department said that up to now, the targets assigned by the 17th Provincial Party Congress for aquaculture have all been achieved. The farming area increased quite strongly during the term, from 22,500 ha in 2010 to 23,610 ha in 2014; the output increased from 37,559 tons to 44,443 tons. In particular, the shrimp farming area increased sharply from 1,700 ha to 2,360 ha; the shrimp output from 3,500 tons (in 2010) to 6,000 tons (in 2014). Notably, during the term, the Vietnam-Australia Shrimp Breeding Group (with a total value of 2 million USD, 100% foreign investment capital) was successfully attracted to invest in Quynh Minh commune (Quynh Luu). This factory is built on an area of ​​4 hectares, with an expected capacity of 3 million shrimp seeds/year, and will have products in April 2015. Thus, if in the past shrimp seeds were always a concern for farmers, because almost 100% of shrimp seeds had to be imported from the South, which was not proactive in the source, high cost, and difficult to manage quality, now if the factory goes into production successfully, it will help farmers feel secure about the seeds (the total demand for shrimp seeds in the area each year is about 1.5 to 2 billion).

In recent times, the industry has introduced a number of new farming objects, diversifying farming objects. Many types of breeds have been proactively produced such as crabs, shrimps, sea bass, and currently some of the most successful farming models are in Quynh Luu district, which has applied scientific advances to develop aquatic breed production. In 2014, the whole district produced 231 million shrimp seeds, of which 130 million were white-leg shrimps and 101 million were black tiger shrimps; at the same time, it produced 3 million crab seeds, 15 million Ben Tre clam seeds to supply farmers in and outside the district; produced and raised freshwater fish seeds to supply the demand for traditional fish seeds in the district with about 14 million seeds of all kinds.

The eel farming movement in the province has developed quite well in recent years. Up to now, the whole province has more than 65 households raising eels, with an area of ​​1,916m2. Many households raising eels in some districts of Do Luong, Yen Thanh, Hung Nguyen... have boldly applied the new eel farming model (raising eels without mud in tarpaulin-lined tanks). A typical example is the family of Mr. Ho Van Trung, Hamlet 9, Ly Thanh Commune (Yen Thanh) with 16 tanks, including 8 tanks for raising eel fry, 8 tanks specializing in raising commercial eels, with a productivity of 2.5 - 3 quintals/tank; annual revenue is from 300 - 400 million VND, after deducting expenses, Mr. Trung's family earns a profit of about 200 - 250 million VND. Or Mr. Tran Ngoc Duyen, in hamlet 16, Hung Thang commune (Hung Nguyen) has 5 tanks, including 1 water treatment tank, 4 breeding tanks, after 5 months of breeding, his family harvested an average of 2.5 quintals of eel/tank, revenue reached 180 million VND, after deducting expenses, the profit was more than 90 million VND...

In recent years, taking advantage of the potential of water surface area in reservoirs and hydroelectric lakes, along with the attention of relevant departments and branches, the movement of fish cage farming on rivers, streams, and dams has developed strongly, mainly concentrated in mountainous and midland districts such as Tuong Duong, Que Phong, Thanh Chuong... In particular, in mountainous district Tuong Duong, the number of cages has increased significantly, from 37 cages in 2013 to 114 cages now, Que Phong from 125 cages to 150 cages... The total number of cages in the province up to this point has reached 433 cages, an increase of 111 cages compared to 2013, with an average cage volume of 15m3. People have been gradually approaching new technology cages, low cost, easy to care for and manage, along with the support of the Provincial People's Committee and the government to build new cages; If in the past they were raised with bamboo and meters, now they are raised with nets which are easier to care for, control diseases, and are more durable and economically beneficial.

Discussing the development direction of the fisheries sector in the remaining term of office, Mr. Tran Huu Tien - Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development emphasized: The sector continues to focus on developing offshore fishing fleets in conjunction with protecting the sovereignty of sea and islands, taking the Gulf of Tonkin as a traditional fishing ground, the Hoang Sa sea area as a potential fishing ground; developing a fleet with large capacity for fishing products of high economic value associated with the development of a fleet of fishing logistics services. Prioritizing the development of key occupations with advantages such as: purse seine, trawl, dragline, and hook-and-line fishing associated with the construction of large-engine ships, the development of iron ships, and ships with new material hulls. At the same time, it is necessary to change occupations for fishermen to reduce the pressure on coastal seafood exploitation combined with the establishment of co-management groups associated with the protection of aquatic resources. Focusing on increasing aquaculture productivity per unit area, diversifying farming forms and breeding structures, applying scientific and technical advances to aquaculture, minimizing natural disasters and epidemics...

Thu Huyen