Cage fish farming on the Bo River is a traditional occupation of local residents.

Create jobs and stable income

For many years, fish farming on the Bo River has helped hundreds of families in Dan Dien and Quang Dien communes stabilize their lives and create a sustainable source of income. Currently, Dan Dien commune has more than 320 fish cages and rafts; Quang Dien commune raises nearly 700 fish cages.

Mr. Phan Dinh Son - a long-time fish farmer in Dan Dien commune said that in the past, people often used iron cages covered with B40 steel mesh to mainly raise red tilapia; now, many households, including him, have invested in solid steel cage systems and expanded to floating raft farming. Each cage requires about 45 million VND in capital, which is not too large, so people are bold in investing.

“If things go well, each fish cage can generate 60-70 million VND in revenue per year. After deducting expenses, the profit is about 20-30 million VND. It is normal for a household raising 5-10 cages to earn hundreds of millions of VND,” Mr. Son shared.

In fact, in recent years, people along the Bo River have boldly switched from traditional cage fish farming to improved raft farming models, combining natural food and recycled food. Many households choose to raise grass carp and silver carp in a semi-industrial manner.

According to Mr. Nguyen Van Tuat, an officer of the Economic Department of Dan Dien Commune: The highlight of this model is reducing stocking density, helping fish grow healthily, have firm meat and limit diseases. Thanks to the application of scientific care processes, the farming time is shortened, capital turnover is faster, thereby increasing economic efficiency. Many households achieve revenue of 120 - 300 million VND per year, 1.5 - 2 times higher than the old model.

The new raft is designed to float on the water surface, with a rust-proof frame and a safety net underneath. This design is not only easy to disassemble and move in bad weather, but also makes cleaning and waste collection convenient, significantly reducing water pollution.

Limit environmental pollution

According to Mr. Nguyen Van Tuat, if fish farming on the Bo River is not well controlled, it will lead to the risk of water pollution from excess food and fish waste...

To minimize the impact on the environment, the authorities of Dan Dien and Quang Dien communes have coordinated with relevant agencies to implement many solutions such as planning reasonable farming areas, increasing the distance between cages to ensure water circulation, and reducing local pollution. Encouraging the use of natural foods and clean processed foods, reducing the use of industrial foods containing high levels of polluting protein; training in waste treatment techniques, instructing people to collect waste sludge, and using it as organic fertilizer for crops; applying biotechnology and herbs to treat the water environment right in the cages, limiting diseases...

Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Tien, Chairman of the People's Committee of Dan Dien Commune, emphasized: "Economic development must go hand in hand with environmental protection. If water sources are polluted, fish farming will not be able to survive in the long term. We guide people to follow a circular model, utilizing by-products to reduce emissions and aiming for VietGAP certification, meeting market standards."

Not only improving the farming model, Dan Dien and Quang Dien communes are also considering building a brand for Bo River fish associated with traceability. This will not only increase the value of the product, but also expand the consumption market to other provinces and cities and aim for export.

In addition, the commune government encourages fish farming cooperatives and cooperative groups to link up with processing and distribution enterprises. The formation of a chain helps farmers reduce price risks while ensuring output and quality according to market requirements.

Along with that, the model of tourism experience of raising fish on the Bo River is also being researched for implementation. With this model, tourists can visit the fish rafts, experience feeding fish, and enjoy fish on the spot. This is a direction that combines aquaculture and tourism, contributing to promoting the local image and creating more income for the people.

Previously, the People's Committee of the old Quang Dien district decided to relocate 121 fish cages of 38 households within the protection area of ​​the clean water supply plant in Ha Lang village, the old Quang Phu commune (now part of Dan Dien commune) according to the relocation schedule from 2025 to 2028. To ensure livelihoods for the people, the old Quang Dien district supported infrastructure investment for the relocated cages, such as building embankments, traffic, power grid systems in the new farming area...
Article and photos: PHONG ANH

Source: https://huengaynay.vn/kinh-te/chuyen-doi-mo-hinh-nuoi-ca-long-tren-song-bo-157675.html