Nha Trang sets up zone for cage aquaculture

A floating raft with cages for breeding fish on Tri Nguyen Island in Nha Trang Bay in Khanh Hoa province (Photo: VNA)

The city will focus on cage farming on Tri Nguyen and Bich Dam islands and a 50ha water surface area between Bich Dam and Dam Bay islands in Nha Trang Bay.

Under an aquaculture plan to 2035 in the bay, approved by the city’s People’s Committee, there will be 100 floating rafts with 2,931 traditional cages in Tri Nguyen and 30 floating rafts with 1,125 traditional cages in Bich Dam by 2025.

The traditional cages are 4 metres wide and 4 metres long, and will contain mostly lobsters and marine fish species.

Tri Nguyen now has 127 floating rafts with 3,366 traditional cages and Bich Dam has 29 floating crafts with 710 traditional cages.

In the 50ha water surface area between Bich Dam and Dam Bay, there will be 60 large cages using advanced farming techniques by 2025.

The large round cages have a diameter of 20 metres.

Advanced farming techniques include the use of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) floating cages and nets with anti-fouling coatings.

The durable HDPE floating cages can withstand winds and waves, are able to breed a large quantity of fish, and are convenient for checking fish and harvesting them.

In the 2026-35 period, the city plans to reduce the number of traditional cages in Tri Nguyen and Bich Dam.

During the period, the city will develop four floating cages with advanced farming techniques in Tri Nguyen and three floating cages in Bich Dam.

The city will maintain the 50ha water surface area between Bich Dam and Dam Bay for cage aquaculture in the 2026-35 period.

Farmers will also receive support from the city to relocate their floating cages to zoned areas, according to the city’s People’s Committee.

The city will also encourage farmers to use floating cages with advanced farming techniques to reduce risks caused by natural disasters and disease, and to use industrial food to feed aquatic species to prevent pollution in the bay.

Dao Thanh Tung, head of the Nha Trang City Economy Bureau, said the zoning of cage aquaculture would reduce the density of floating cages and prevent water pollution caused by overcrowding.

After implementing the zoning, farmers and local authorities will be able to easily control diseases and the seed quality of farmed aquatic species, he said.

In addition, the origin of farmed aquatic species can be traced, which makes it easier to export via official channels, he said.

Khanh Hoa is considered the capital of aquaculture in the country’s south-central region.

The province, which has many deep bays, has favourable conditions for aquaculture as it has long coast and clean sea water with suitable salinity level for marine aquaculture.

Its Nha Trang, Cam Ranh and Van Phong bays have a total area of more than 100,000ha. The bays’ natural conditions and hydrology are suited for breeding marine aquatic species, especially lobsters and marine fish.