Adaptation measures needed to sustainably develop aquaculture

Without adaptation measures, damage to tra fish farming will be 200 million VND per hectare by 2020. (Photo: VNA)

HCM City (VNA) – Effective adaptation measures are important to sustainably developing aquaculture sector in the context of climate change, heard a conference held by the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) in collaboration with the Nha Trang University and the University of Tromso (Norway) on August 23.

Although the aquatic output in the country has increased for 17 consecutive years, with an average yearly growth of 9.07 percent, experts said the sector will suffer critical losses due to the impact of climate change.

According to Quach Thi Khanh Ngoc, from Nha Trang Univeristy, Vietnam ranks 27th among the countries most vulnerable to climate change in the world; however, it is in the list of the nations having weak measures in response to climate change.

Aquaculture will be badly affected by climate change which results in an economic loss of nearly 2 percent in the gross domestic product (GDP) by 2030, she said, highlighting that change in rainfall, rising sea level, and diseases will shrink aquaculture area and reduce quality of the products.

In the Mekong Delta province of An Giang, 60 percent of ponds that breed tra fish will be impacted as the water level is expected to rise 2-2.5 metres. Thus, farmers will have to spend more on the building and maintenance of their farming facilities.

Meanwhile, a study by the World Bank showed that without adaptation measures, damage to tra fish farming will be 200 million VND (8,600 USD) per hectare by 2020 while the figure will be three times higher by 2025.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has estimated a yearly loss of 40 percent in the aquaculture output. It also said that nearly 3 million labourers will become unemployed due to climate change.

Ngoc stressed it is crucial to set up special zones for sea, coral reef and submerged forest eco-system preservation.

Other experts said that relevant authorities should issue guidance in aquaculture farming in severe weathers, and raise local farmers’ awareness of the impact of and adaptation measures to climate change. Due attention should be paid to aquaculture insurance as well, they stressed.

Pham Thi Thanh Thuy, a researcher at the University of Tromso, highlighted that advanced technologies should be applied for the exploitation of the resources marketing, along with the search for the new markets.

Proper aquaculture farming zones must be studied carefully, and the sector is also in need of breeding models of aquaculture species, she said