Profitable high-tech aquaculture

At 6am, Mr. Nguyen Van Cu, 40 heads to the open sea in Cam Lap (Cam Ranh city, Khanh Hoa province) to start his workday. He owns two high-tech offshore cages, each 1,600m³ in volume, where he raises 4,000 cobia fish.

"This is the pilot high-tech aquaculture area of the province, involving 10 households with 16 round HDPE cages and 12 square HDPE cages raising fish and lobsters. The households are also provided with camera systems and remote monitoring devices for 24/7 supervision on all electronic devices," Cu proudly explains.

Having followed his parents into aquaculture in Phu Yen since the age of 12, Cu is no stranger to the trade. However, the traditional farming methods he initially used led to unstable incomes. Stormy days were filled with anxiety over potential damage to the cages from high winds and waves.

"There was a year when we kept the fish to wait for higher prices, but a flood killed all the fish due to freshwater shock, resulting in a loss of about 4 billion VND ($158,000)," he recalls.

For the past year, despite a significant initial investment, Cu has been able to sleep soundly knowing his offshore fish are secure.

Pointing to the 800m³ HDPE cage, he explains that it is environmentally friendly, storm-resistant, and durable for up to 30 years. Each cage costs around 280 million VND ($11,000), with fishermen receiving a 70% subsidy on the cost.

In the first batch of high-tech farmed cobia in Cam Lap, Cu's yield was significantly higher than with traditional cages. Although the selling price was not as high as expected, the revenue per cage reached 1.3-1.4 billion VND, with a net profit of 400 million VND per cage ($15,700).

"I'm thrilled. After so many years of aquaculture, we've never seen such profits. I've just released a new batch of cobia," Cu shares.

Green aquaculture

Nguyen Quang Tien, another fisherman, shares: "My family has two cobia cages. After 10 months of farming, the first batch yields a large quantity of fish, bringing in a profit of 800 million VND."

Initially, Tien was worried about high-tech aquaculture due to the significant investment and the risk of failure. However, after one batch, he was satisfied with the results. The HDPE cages withstand strong waves and winds, and fish are farmed at high density, resulting in high productivity.

His daily tasks include feeding the fish and periodically cleaning the nets. Each cage is monitored by a camera, allowing Tien to check on the fish from anywhere via a smartphone.

"The most important thing is that this type of aquaculture is highly profitable, many times more than traditional cage farming. The HDPE cages are durable and reduce plastic waste in the environment," he says. Encouraged by the high profits, Tien plans to expand his operation by adding more cages.

Sustainable and profitable

In Vietnam, marine farming is a significant industry, generating billions of USD annually. With 385km of coastline, over 200 islands, three bays, and two relatively sheltered lagoons, Khanh Hoa has both potential and a leading position in the country's marine farming sector.

The primary species farmed in this region include lobster, cobia, pomfret, grouper, barramundi, and others. Additional farming of Pacific oysters, sea cucumbers, pearl oysters, and seaweed also provides economic benefits to the local fishermen.

Nguyen Duy Quang, Director of the Khanh Hoa Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, states that the province's annual farmed seafood production ranges from 16,000 to 18,000 tons, significantly contributing to the sector's output. Marine farming accounts for about 50% of the province's total aquaculture output, with an export value of 780 million USD in 2023.

However, traditional marine farming mainly uses trash fish, and excess feed leads to environmental pollution and uncontrolled disease outbreaks. The use of foam buoys, plastic floats, and packaging increases plastic waste, significantly impacting the environment. Traditional cage farming also carries high risks for fishermen.

Recent years have seen many organizations warning about the increasing plastic waste in the oceans. Both the production and disposal of plastic emit large amounts of CO2 and other greenhouse gases. Notably, burning plastic releases harmful toxins into the air, further affecting the environment.

To maintain sustainable development and reduce emissions in line with current export market demands, Khanh Hoa's agriculture sector is focusing on implementing the high-tech marine farming pilot project approved by the Prime Minister. The project aims to expand advanced marine farming models across the province's open seas.

High-tech aquaculture success

In 2023, the Khanh Hoa Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, in collaboration with the Thien Tam Foundation (Vingroup) and the Cam Ranh People's Committee, established a high-tech marine farming pilot project in Cam Lap. After one year, the pilot project has shown initial success.

Besides their resilience to waves and environmental protection, HDPE cages offer higher profits than traditional wooden cages. The average profit rate is 172% for cobia farming, 112% for lobster farming, and 131.4% for grouper farming.

"This provides a foundation for expanding high-tech marine farming models across the province," Quang says.

High-tech aquaculture has attracted investment from several companies. Australis Vietnam Co., Ltd., for example, has invested in advanced farming technologies, including automatic feeding systems, creating a closed value chain from artificial breeding to harvesting.

In this model, HDPE cages adapt to climate change and reduce plastic waste. Feed for shrimp and fish is monitored with technology to meet the "right - enough" criteria, addressing environmental pollution caused by excess feed.

Economic and environmental benefits

High-tech marine farming has transformed production methods, linking aquaculture with environmental protection, reducing risks, enhancing the landscape, and integrating with ecotourism.

It is gradually transitioning marine farming into a modern, commercial-scale industry that ensures food safety and environmental protection.

Moreover, it brings economic benefits to aquaculture households, companies, and contributes to Khanh Hoa's economic development.

However, Quang notes that eliminating foam and plastic floats, as well as traditional cages, must be done gradually. Khanh Hoa is facilitating investment in industrial marine farming equipment and materials (HDPE cages, new material buoys, automatic environmental monitoring devices, smart feeding systems, etc.), large-scale seed production, and industrial feed production.

Quang also emphasizes that transitioning to net-zero emissions involves gradually shifting all industries towards green and sustainable practices. This transition is not only necessary for market access but also for protecting our living environment.

In early June, after reviewing the high-tech marine farming pilot model in Khanh Hoa's open seas, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Phung Duc Tien suggested expanding it to 27 other coastal provinces and cities in Vietnam.

For Khanh Hoa, Tien emphasized the importance of effectively implementing policies to support fishermen in adopting high-tech marine farming, building industry linkages, and regularly monitoring the environment to ensure the health of farmed seafood and maximize economic benefits for farmers.

Tam An, Xuan Ngoc, Hien Anh