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. The country produces annually over 6 million MT of fish, in which its landings reached 2.7 million MT and aquaculture reached 3.3 million MT. In 2021, total fisheries production reached 8.7 million MT, including 3.9 million tons from catching and 4.85 million tons from aquaculture.

Available fish sources

(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Thanks to a lot of efforts, up to now, Soc Trang shrimp industry has basically overcome the challenges during the period of implementing social distancing to ensure the prevention and control of COVID-19 . The difficulties that are solved in time and the optimistic signals of consumer demand in both domestic and foreign markets are good opportunities for shrimp farmers and seafood processing companies in this locality to restore the production chain in the remaining months of the year.

(seafood.vasep.com.vn) According to the report of the Directorate of Fisheries, by the end of August 2021, the total fishery production of Vietnam is estimated at 5,692.5 thousand tons (up 1.4% over the same period in 2020), of which the output caught catching 2,704.8 thousand tons (up 0.8%), aquaculture production 2,987.7 thousand tons (up 1.8%).

(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Along with pangasius and brackish water shrimp, which have been promoted for export, many aquatic species that are farmed in fresh water and in the sea in the Mekong Delta such as tilapia, red tilapia, giant freshwater prawn, eel , frogs, clams, crabs... are purchased, processed and exported by some enterprises. The potential and opportunity to promote the export of these aquatic products is still great if there is a good connection between farmers and businesses.

The Mekong Delta province of Kien Giang will develop sea aquaculture, focusing on breeding fish in floating cages and bivalve mollusc farming effectively and safely, thereby contributing to enhancing agricultural economic growth in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Vietnam is to have 280,000 ha of marine aquaculture area and 10.5 million cubic metres of farming cages by 2025, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD).

(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Bac Lieu is promoting effective and safe fishing and fishing solutions to strive for a total output of 150,000 tons of marine and domestic fishery exploitation by 2025, including 11,000 tons of shrimp and 139,000 tons of fish and other seafood.

(seafood.vasep.com.vn) According to a report by the Can Tho Fisheries Sub-Department, the city's total seafood production by July 2021 is estimated at 97 thousand tons, up 17% over the same period last year.

(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Despite many difficulties due to the impact of the Covid-19 epidemic, in the first 6 months of 2021, Vietnam's seafood industry still grew steadily in all fields.

According to the People's Committee of Bac Lieu province, in the first 6 months of 2021, the weather is quite favorable for aquaculture, so shrimp develops well, many high-tech shrimp farming models have brought high economic efficiency. Accordingly, there are 7 companies and 472 households developing high-tech agricultural models with an area of 1,126.26ha; The average yield of farmed shrimp is nearly 23 tons/ha.

In the first 6 months of 2021, shrimp export turnover of Ca Mau province - a key seafood province in the Mekong Delta, is estimated at 400 million USD, up 16.6% over the same period in 2020. Forecast in 2021, shrimp export of the province reached over 1 billion USD.

(vasep.com.vn) Thanks to production stabilization, the total value of Vietnam's seafood exports in the first five months of the year still increased by 13.8% over the same period last year, reaching 3.27 billion USD. In which, shrimp export value reached 1.31 billion USD, up 11.8%; Pangasius export value reached US$637.8 million, up 14.7% of tuna reaching US$291.5 million, up 21% over the same period in 2020.

(seafood.vasep.com.vn) By 2025, Ben Tre province will have 4,000 hectares of brackish water shrimp farming (white shrimp, black tiger shrimp) applying high technology; in which, Ba Tri district has 500 ha, Binh Dai district 2,000 ha and Thanh Phu district 1,500 ha.

According to a report of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Ba Ria - Vung Tau province, the total area of aquaculture in the province in May 2021 reached over 6.2 thousand hectares, bringing the output of aquaculture production in the month to 1,553 tons, up 4.8% over the same period in 2020.

Clam is one of the main species of aquaculture in Nam Dinh northern province. The province currently has more than 2,000 ha of clam farming, of which there are 2 large clam farming areas in Giao Thuy district with 1,665 ha, Nghia Hung district with 500 ha, annually supplying from 35 to 40 thousand tons of commercial clams and tens of billions of clam seed to the market.

(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam's seafood exports in the first five months of this year reached nearly $3.3 billion, up 14% over the same period. In general, seafood export turnover is still concentrated in the Mekong Delta provinces where the source of raw materials for aquaculture and exploitation is concentrated.