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.

Jan-Jun 2017: Up 6.7% in total aquaculture production

(seafood.vasep.com.vn) According to the latest figures from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, aquaculture production in June 2017 estimated at 450,000 MT, an increase of 3.4% over the same period last year, the figure in Jan-Jun 2017 was nearly 1.7 million MT, up 6.7% year on year.

In the first half of 2017, the area of pangasius farming in the Mekong Delta provinces hit 3,076 ha, a decrease of 16% over the same period of 2016. However, pangasius output estimated at over 580,000 MT, equal to the same period last year and completing 50.7% of the year plan.

In the period, the favorable weather facilitated brackish water shrimp farming. The area for ​​brackish water shrimp farming in the first 6 months of 2017 estimated at nearly 640,000 ha, up 5.5% over the same period, with the output of over 216,000 MT, up 14.7% over the same period last year. The area for whiteleg ​​shrimp farming in the Jan-Jun 2017 estimated at 57,680 ha, up 32.6% over the same period last year.

In Jan-Jun 2017, prices of raw pangasius and shrimp in Vietnam fluctuated and tended to decrease due to a rise in the supply recently.