An Giang promotes marine economic potential

Promoting the advantages of the sea and islands, An Giang is promoting the exploitation of the potential of the marine economy in a sustainable manner. Many models of aquaculture at sea and inshore have been highly effective, contributing to increasing the proportion of the marine economy to account for a large part of GRDP, creating a new driving force for local development.

People of Dong Thai commune build huts to raise clams and mussels on the coastal alluvial land.

In 2021, Mr. Huynh Van Quyt, residing in Hamlet 6 Bien, Dong Thai Commune, started doing something that no one in the area had ever done before: artificially breeding blood cockles. He bought 13-month-old cockles to raise and wait for them to mature.

According to Mr. Quyt, the secret is to cultivate algae as food to stimulate oyster spawning. After only two months, he had his first batch of oysters. “Having oysters produced yourself reduces costs a lot, and the oysters are healthier than those bought from outside,” Mr. Quyt said.

Instead of stocking densely, Mr. Quyt carefully calculated the density, with only one clam per inch of land, so the clams grew quickly and had little loss. At the same time, he also successfully tested the reproduction of green mussels. Recalling the years 2020 - 2021, when the COVID-19 pandemic caused dozens of tons of commercial clams to stagnate, he was discouraged, but it was his perseverance in research that helped him take the initiative in the source of seeds, opening up a direction for sustainable career.

Mrs. Tran Thi Hoi's family raises fish in cages at sea on Nam Du island.

If Mr. Quyt represents creativity, then Mrs. Tran Thi Hoi, Director of Thanh Hoa Farmers' Cooperative, residing in An Phu hamlet, Kien Hai special zone, shows her acumen in marine farming.

After 16 years at sea, Mrs. Hoi witnessed the natural fishing resources gradually depleting. From working for fishing boats, she decided to spend all her savings on raising fish in cages. As her business gradually developed, Mrs. Hoi gradually invested capital to invest in a total of 4 rafts with 16 cages to raise fish of high economic value such as cobia and pearl grouper.

Thanks to preferential credit loans, she earns about 400 million VND each year. Mrs. Hoi confided: "If we keep fishing, the sea will not regenerate in time, only farming can be sustainable, both preserving the profession and not depleting aquatic resources. The family also takes advantage of fresh sea fish from the people on Nam Du island to dry and sell to tourists and consume at OCOP stores in Rach Gia."

The stories of Mr. Quyt and Mrs. Hoi clinging to the sea are just a small slice of the larger picture, marine farming is becoming an inevitable direction for An Giang and the Mekong Delta. Many strong businesses have come to survey and invest.

Sea fish farming model using Norwegian technology of Tran Phu Import Export Trading Service Company Limited in Bai Vong hamlet, Phu Quoc special economic zone.

According to Mr. Hoang Ngoc Binh, Operations Director of Australis Vietnam Seafood Co., Ltd., the island sea area in An Giang has great potential for developing fish farming for export. The company has chosen this place to test raising barramundi in 6 HDPE plastic cages. The results of monitoring the environment, flow, and growth rate of the fish are all positive.

“The natural conditions here are very good. If the procedures for handing over the 400-hectare sea area are quickly resolved, we are ready to expand the industrial scale with an output of thousands of tons,” said Mr. Binh.

According to Mr. Binh, the current difficulties are slow licensing procedures, involving many central sectors, while infrastructure on remote islands is still lacking, and transportation costs are high. If these "bottlenecks" are removed, businesses can boldly invest, turning sea and island areas into large-scale marine fish farming areas, linked to exports.

In fact, An Giang's marine potential is huge. The province has abundant coastal and island water surface area, and the environmental quality is suitable for many aquatic species. Marine farming can be developed all year round, creating livelihoods while contributing to protecting the ecosystem, preserving mangrove forests, blocking waves, and preventing erosion.

Fishermen gather seafood at Tac Cau fishing port, Binh An commune for sale.

Director of the Department of Agriculture and Environment of An Giang province, Le Huu Toan, said: “After more than 5 years of implementing Resolution 36-NQ/TW of the Party Central Committee on “Vietnam’s sustainable marine economic development strategy to 2030, with a vision to 2045”, An Giang’s marine economy has developed comprehensively. The proportion of the marine economy accounts for 80% of GRDP, and the average income per capita is 1.25 times higher than that of the whole province.”

From mainly relying on exploitation, by 2024, the province's aquaculture proportion had reached 47.14% of total output, accounting for 16% of the country and more than 40% of the Mekong Delta. The seafood processing and export industry also maintained growth, with turnover in the 2019-2024 period reaching more than 1.44 billion USD.

“In the coming time, the province will expand industrial shrimp farming, develop ecological and organic farming in coastal shrimp-rice areas; link aquaculture with eco-tourism, processing and export. At the same time, invest in upgrading fishing ports, rearrange the fleet, form a synchronous aquatic infrastructure, and create key products with local brands,” said Mr. Le Huu Toan.

From the coastal clam beaches, fish cages in Nam Du to industrial-scale projects, An Giang's marine economy is asserting its strong resilience. And it is the persistent people who stick to the sea like Mr. Quyt and Ms. Hoi, along with the companionship of businesses like Australis Vietnam Seafood Co., Ltd. that are creating a solid foundation for An Giang to rise up to become a strong marine economic center of the country.

Article and photos: AN LAM

Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/an-giang-phat-huy-tiem-nang-kinh-te-bien-a462290.html