BẠC LIÊU — The Cửu Long (Mekong) Delta province of Bạc Liêu will step up investment in shrimp farming and broodstock using advanced techniques to improve yield and quality and sustainably exploit its natural fisheries resources.

It plans to increase catch and aquaculture harvest of seafood by 11 per cent this year to 460,000 tonnes, including 234,600 tonnes of shrimp, according to its Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Lưu Hoàng Ly, director of the department, said to achieve the target the province would set up and upgrade hatcheries that produce high-quality and disease-free broodstock.

It will create favourable conditions for investors and solicit investment in the existing 418ha hi-tech agriculture zone for shrimp development in Bạc Liêu City’s Hiệp Thành Commune.

Bạc Liêu, one of the country’s largest shrimp producers, will expand farming areas that use super-intensive, intensive and semi-intensive farming methods, which offer high yields.

The super-intensive model offers high yields of 40-50 tonnes per hectare per crop from three shrimp crops a year. It has a success rate of 80-90 per cent.

It requires several ponds for breeding shrimp and treating water. The breeding ponds are installed with oxygenation facilities, anti-sunlight nets and plastic sheets on the bed.

The province will also expand other sustainable models like shrimp- forest farming and shrimp-rice farming, establish organic aquaculture areas for key species and develop farming models that involve value chains and disease-free standards for export.

The province has nearly 40,000ha under the shrimp-rice model where farmers are increasing cultivation of ST24 and ST 25, two of the world’s best rice varieties.

The province plans to develop marine aquaculture by 2025 focusing on sustainable seafood exploitation and protecting fisheries resources.

It is encouraging investors to expand aquaculture and the varieties they farm, especially in coastal areas and mudflats.

It will closely monitor sanitation at establishments that produce broodstock and feed for aquaculture.

With a coastline of more than 56km, Bạc Liêu enjoys excellent conditions for farming shrimp, especially brackish-water varieties.

Ly said the province would modernise its fishing boats and establish more fishing groups to improve efficiency and safety, foster offshore fishing and catch high-value species.

It will promote linkages between fishermen, fishing co-operatives and seafood processors. — VNS