The 102km long coastline, large water surface area, lakes and ponds, and a system of fishing boats equipped with modern equipment... are favorable conditions for Thanh Hoa to promote the development of the fisheries economy. Over the past years, the province has been focusing on implementing many solutions to synchronously develop both exploitation and aquaculture towards a sustainable fisheries industry.
High-tech white-leg shrimp farming model in Hoa Loc commune (Hau Loc).
According to statistics from the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Thanh Hoa province has over 6,052 fishing vessels, of which 1,094 are offshore fishing vessels. Many fishing vessels are equipped with modern marine electronic devices such as positioning devices, fish detectors, and communication devices; technology and means of exploitation and preservation are increasingly advanced, facilitating long-term fishing in search of new fishing grounds. Thanks to that, seafood output has increased, and the lives of workers working in the field have been significantly improved.
Mr. Nguyen Quang Vinh, owner of ship TH-91508-TS in Hai Binh ward (Nghi Son town) said: "Previously, people developed seafood fishing by manual and traditional methods, so the economic efficiency was not high. After being supported and guided to install modern machinery and equipment systems for exploitation, the operating time at sea was longer. Thanks to that, seafood output increased, economic efficiency and income of fishermen were also improved."
Not only supporting fishermen to improve their skills and efficiency in seafood exploitation, in recent times, departments, branches and localities in the province have been promoting propaganda to change the production mindset of fishermen from developing traditional and spontaneous fishing to responsible fishing. Especially strictly implementing regulations on combating illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.
Forecasts from professional agencies show that due to the impact of climate change and overexploitation by fishermen, seafood output will gradually decrease over time. Therefore, to compensate for seafood output in conditions of increasingly difficult exploitation, the province has directed localities to encourage people to expand aquaculture areas in all three types: saltwater, brackish water and freshwater. Accordingly, people have promoted aquaculture activities, effectively exploiting the water surface area of estuaries, islands, hydroelectric and irrigation reservoirs. Currently, the province has formed concentrated fish cage farming areas in some localities such as Nghi Son town; Thuong Xuan, Quan Hoa, Ba Thuoc, Cam Thuy districts... with about 6,000 cages. Of which, about 3,900 cages are for marine farming and 2,100 cages for freshwater farming, with an annual output of more than 2,000 tons. Cage fish farming has contributed to creating jobs, increasing income, improving the lives of rural people and positively affecting the socio-economic development of localities.
Along with that, Thanh Hoa always maintains a stable clam farming area of 1,000 hectares and shrimp farming area of 4,100 hectares. The farming area does not increase but the output of farmed aquatic products increases significantly thanks to the application of technical advances and modern technology in production. Ms. Ngo Thi Lanh, Deputy Head of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Hau Loc district, said: "Determining the development of freshwater and brackish water aquaculture as one of the key economic sectors of the district, in addition to the general support policies of the province, Hau Loc district also supports the development of aquaculture such as: Investing in infrastructure in concentrated farming areas, supporting training for people on aquaculture to ensure product quality standards, applying science and technology in aquaculture... Thanks to that, up to now, Hau Loc has more than 1,740 hectares of aquaculture, of which about 240 hectares of specialized aquaculture in Da Loc, Xuan Loc, and Hoa Loc communes have received initial investment in infrastructure and traffic connections".
Not only in Hau Loc but also in most coastal localities of the province, the exploitation and aquaculture industries have been invested in quite comprehensively. Therefore, in the context of the country's fisheries industry in general facing many difficulties and challenges, in the first 3 months of 2024, the production value of the fisheries industry in the whole province reached 1,697 billion VND, an increase of 2.6% over the same period.
However, the province's fisheries sector is also facing many difficulties due to poor and unsynchronized infrastructure; impacts of climate change, diseases, and the environment; in-depth processing; small-scale exploitation and farming... These are the main causes affecting the development, economic value, and competitiveness of products in the market.
To sustainably develop the fisheries sector, on June 5, 2023, the Provincial People's Committee approved the "Project for rapid and sustainable fisheries development associated with firmly protecting national sovereignty at sea in Thanh Hoa province until 2030, with a vision to 2045". Accordingly, the province's fisheries sector is oriented to develop large-scale, modern, sustainable commodity production, associated with processing and building synchronous infrastructure, both serving economic development and being ready to serve national defense goals. At the same time, encourage the development of reasonable forms of production organization in chains to increase productivity, product quality and value to meet the requirements of the domestic and export markets.
Article and photos: Le Hoa
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