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.

Dong Thap leads Mekong Delta in pangasius output

The Mekong Delta province of Dong Thap has produced 400,000 tonnes of pangasius a year, marking the highest output in the region.

Phan Kim Sa, Deputy Director of the provincial Department of Industry and Trade, said materials zones account for more than 63 percent of the province’s pangasius cultivation area of 2,120 ha, leading to the high output.

More than 1,000ha of pangasius are being bred under VietGAP, GlobalGAP, ASC, BAP standards. With 122 fries producing facilities, 48 trading and over 1,200 breeding units, the province expects to produce more than 1 billion fries this year.

According to Sa, Dong Thap pangasius has been present in nearly 100 markets worldwide.

In January-October, the province exported more than 207,000 tonnes of farmed fish, earning over 521 million USD, up 3.43 percent annually.

Dong Thap is currently home to 24 for-export seafood processors with a total annual capacity of over 429,000 tonnes. A majority of plants meet HACCP and ISO standards and could self-provide 60-70 percent of needed materials.

In the coming years, the province strives to raise over 500,000 tonnes of pangasius in an area of more than 2,200ha, and export upward 645 million USD worth of pangasius.

Source: VNA


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