Mr. Le Van Dieu - Deputy Director of the National Center for Freshwater Aquaculture in the Central region said that since March 2023, the Center has implemented the Sturgeon Farming Model in earthen ponds. This is a project implemented with the "order" of Duc Trong district (Lam Dong province).
Siberian sturgeon thrive in earthen ponds.
Mr. Dieu shared that, unlike the common cold-water fish farming models in Lam Dong such as cement tanks lined with tarpaulin, composite tanks with available flow systems from streams or deep, cool, naturally flowing hydroelectric lakes, the Center decided to test a rather special model.
He said that not only sturgeon species require cold water, many species of sturgeon can adapt to average water temperature. Therefore, the project is determined to implement the Sturgeon Farming Model in earthen ponds, applying traditional ponds in areas without running water.
Leading guests to visit the sturgeon pond, Mr. Le Van Dieu said that the pond is just a normal earthen pond, it does not need to be too deep, just 1.5m - 1.7m is enough. After that, people can make cages with a height of 1.3m or more. The cage is made of an iron frame, the fish compartment is separated by plastic mesh, and there is a thick mesh layer lining the bottom.
Mr. Dieu shared: “Sturgeon cages in earthen ponds do not need to be too complicated, we are currently mainly using floating cages and fixed cages. The bottom of the cage only needs to be about 30 cm from the bottom of the pond to provide enough environment for the fish to live and develop. This is the simplest technology, only the pond and cage are enough, no need for other auxiliary technologies”.
According to Mr. Le Van Dieu, since March 2023, the Center has been testing the release of Siberian sturgeon fry into earthen ponds at a density of 10 to 13 fish/ m2 , slightly lower than the traditional flowing water farming method. Each fry weighs about 50 grams, and up to now, some have reached 2-3 kg, with a survival rate of 75%, equal to sturgeon raised in flowing water models.
It can be assessed that raising sturgeon in earthen ponds is no less effective than other traditional sturgeon farming methods in Lam Dong such as raising sturgeon in lakes, raising sturgeon in tarpaulin-lined tanks...
Currently, the sturgeon raised in earthen ponds can be sold, many have reached outstanding weight, the model is considered an excellent success.
Mr. Dieu said that raising sturgeon in cages in earthen ponds is a fairly simple farming technology, suitable for most households in the two regions of Duc Trong and Lam Ha.
“We encourage farmers and households who already have earthen ponds that are raising other types of fish to invest in switching to raising sturgeon. A 1,500 m2 pond, including the cost of cages and breeds for 1,500 fish, costs only about 300 million VND. A year can yield 2.5 tons of fish, with a revenue of 500 million VND, and a profit margin of 50-70%.”
However, Mr. Le Van Dieu also gave some recommendations for farmers to approach the Sturgeon Farming Model in earthen ponds.
Firstly, people need to keep the water source clean and stable, not cultivate much around the pond, and reduce the amount of pesticides flowing into the pond during rains.
Raising sturgeon in earthen ponds requires attention to the amount of mud. Fish cages must be arranged near mud drainage holes and mud must be regularly discharged according to plan to ensure clean pond water.
And to ensure, farmers can stock fish at a lower density than other sturgeon farming models. Russian Siberian sturgeon can withstand water temperatures up to 28°C, so sturgeon can completely live in natural conditions in earthen ponds.
Also due to weather requirements, farmers need to get reputable, clear sources of seeds, healthy fish, and warranty from the company.
Mr. Le Van Dieu said that, realizing the effectiveness of the Sturgeon Farming Model in earthen ponds, with low costs and high profit margins, the center is looking for farmers to transfer techniques, in order to bring an effective economic model to farmers.
Recently, Duc Trong District Farmers' Association organized a tour to learn about the model and orient the transfer to farmers.
This is a fairly effective model, suitable for available pond conditions as well as moderate investment, suitable for farmers. Hopefully in the near future, there will be earthen ponds of farmers raising sturgeon next to large-scale, large-scale sturgeon farms. This is also an open direction for households in Duc Trong and Lam Ha to develop the economy.
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