GENERAL INFORMATION

Vietnam, with a coastline of over 3,260 kilometers (km) and more than 3,000 islands and islets scattered offshore, plus up to 2,860 rivers and estuaries, has been geographically endowed with ideal conditions for the thriving fishery sector which currently exists.

Great potential of fishery sector in Vietnam is embedded in water bodies of 1.700.000 ha in which 811.700 ha freshwater, 635.400 ha brackish waters and 125.700 ha coves and 300.000 - 400.000 ha wetland areas might be employed for aquaculture development.

The Mekong River Delta in the south and the Red River Delta in the north have been used for wild catch fishing as well as extensive fish farming.

Shrimp and pangasius mostly farmed in the Mekong River Delta, in which, shrimp farmes located in coastal provinces such as Tra Vinh, Bac Lieu, Soc Trang, Ca Mau, Kien Giang, Ben Tre..

Pangasius farming is developing in many provinces in Mekong River Delta such as Can Tho, Vinh Long, Tien Giang, An Giang, Dong Thap, Soc Trang, Hau Giang, Tra Vinh....

Production in the fishery sector grew at an average rate of 7.05% from 1991 to 2000, and 10% from 2001 to now. Vietnamese fisheries production increased steadily YoY. Aquaculture output tent to sharply rise while capture ouput tend to slow down. In 2023, aquaculture occupied 59%, fishing output occupied 41%. From 2018-2023, ratio of fishing output has decreased from 46% to 41% of total fishery production in Vietnam. In 2023, total aquaculture area was 5.408 million tons, up 3.5%; total fishing output was 3.861 million tons, equal to 2022.

Develop sustainable aquaculture in the central coastal provinces

(seafood.vasep.com.vn) According to the National Agricultural Extension Center, sustainable development of fisheries aims to implement the project "Restructuring agricultural sector towards enhancing added-value production and sustainable development" and the project "Restructuring fisheries sector by 2020, orientation to 2030”.

Accordingly, by 2020, the aquaculture output in Vietnam expected to reach 4.5 million MT; in which, shrimp volume will be 710,000 MT with the export value of US$4.5-5 billion.

In recent years, the aquaculture sector has remained relatively fast and stable development, especially brackish water shrimp farming. By 2016, the aquaculture area reached 1.3 million hectares with the output of 3.65 million MT.

Coastal provinces from Ha Tinh to Quang Ngai have favorable conditions for brackish water shrimp farming, especially whiteleg shrimp, mollusk and marine fish farming. In 2016, the area of saltwater and brackish water farming in the 7 coastal provinces of Central Vietnam hit 15,608 hectares with the output of 38,911 MT; that for freshwater farming was 19,443 hectares with the yield of 32,675 MT.

The area of shrimp farming in these localities touched 10,944 hectares. In particular, Thua Thien - Hue has the largest area of shrimp farming of 2,937 hectares; followed by Quang Nam with 2,730 hectares; Ha Tinh with 2,200 hectares. The intensive whiteleg shrimp culture model developed in Quang Nam with the output of 12,650 MT (total output of the whole region was 32,736 MT), higher than that of other provinces.

The area for mollusk culture in the central coastal provinces was 1,466 hectares with the production of 3,121 MT.

Compiled by Dieu Thuy


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