Ninh Thuan (VNS/VNA) - Farmers in Ninh Thuan province haveexpanded the breeding of marine aquatic species, such as Pacific oysters infloating cages in Nai Lagoon in Ninh Hai district.

With a long coastline and many lagoons, the south-central province hasfavourable conditions for developing marine aquaculture. Nai Lagoon covers1,200ha and is one of the country’s 12 largest lagoons.

Ha Thi Ngoc in the district’s Tri Hai commune is breeding six Pacific oysterfloating cages and has recently harvested two cages with an output of more thaneight tonnes.

She earned more than 90 million VND (3,600 USD) from selling the oysters totraders, she said.

“The investment cost for breeding Pacific oysters is low, and the natural conditionsand water levels of Nai Lagoon are suitable for oyster growth,” she said.

Pacific oysters are easy to breed, do not require much tending and eat naturalfood so farmers do not need to buy food for them.

Each crop of the oysters takes four to five months.

Up to 145 households are breeding more than 550 Pacific oyster floating cagesin Nai Lagoon.

Besides Pacific oysters, Ninh Hai district authorities have encouraged farmersto diversify breeding into other marine aquatic species.

Ninh Hai and Thuan Nam districts and Phan Rang-Thap Cham city are developingthe cultivation of lobsters and marine fish.

The province has 2,642 lobster floating cages.

Farmers have harvested more than 54 tonnes of lobsters in the first ten monthsof the year.

Of the 2,642 lobster floating cages, 800 breed lobsters, pomfret and cobia inthe same cage.

Dang Van Tin, head of the province’s Fisheries Sub-department, said theprovince has more than 105km of coastline and a diversified system of lagoons,bays and ponds which are favourable conditions to develop marine aquaculture,and this helps create jobs and improve incomes for farmers.

The province is implementing measures to develop marine aquaculture, includingthe zoning of aquaculture areas, using advanced farming techniques to adapt tonatural conditions and climate change, and developing the breeding of highvalue aquatic species.

The province plans to reach an aquaculture output of 9,500 tonnes and produce41.35 billion seeds of aquatic species this year, according to thesub-department.

It will expand effective breeding models in the remaining months of the year.

The province’s seed producing centres and companies have boosted the researchand production of seeds of shrimp, bivalve molluscs, cobia, pomfret and otherhigh value aquatic species to meet the demand of breeders.

The province’s Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has providedfarmers breeding techniques and measures to prevent and control diseases.

The province has encouraged companies to invest in marine aquaculture andtransfer breeding techniques to farmers.

It has encouraged the use of advanced breeding techniques such as high-densitypolyethylene floating cages with Norwegian techniques that can withstand windsand waves better than traditional floating cages./.