Solutions to enhance pangasius seed quality in Mekong Delta

Pangasius farming and processing for exporting in the Mekong Delta have faced some troubles which required competent authorities to have solutions on fish seed production managing and techniques transferring to enhance fish seed quality. Fish seed production plays an important role in improving exported pangasius quality and fish export value and minimize risks to fish farmers.  

In the Mekong Delta, there are about 200 fry nursing facilities and 4,000 seed hatcheries in which more than 1,240 hatcheries are located in Dong Thap province.

The fish seed production in the Mekong Delta reached more or less 2 billion fries per year, meeting to fish farming demand in locality. However, instability in raw pangasius supply is affected negatively fish seed production.

Many fish seed producers do not obey regulations on quality and producing conditions. The quality of fish seed is low, causing losses in farming, even loss rates can exceed 30 percent of fish stocked.

According to scientists, to enhance the quality of fish seed and exported pangasius in the Mekong Delta, competent authorities need to implement solutions such as improving state management on fish seed production and trading, building provincial seed production centers, guiding techniques in seed producing for farmers, creating a link between seed producers and scientists to apply and transfer advanced techniques, balancing seed production and commercial fish farming to stabilize supply-demand.

D-Fish has cooperated with the Research Institute of Aquaculture No.2 (RIA2) to draft legal management regulations on fish seed and fish broodstock to enhance fish seed quality supplying for the market in the near future.