Farmer Pham Van Nhieu, from Hai Phong, is known as a “craftsman” in the aquaculture field due to his numerous innovative and unconventional farming methods that have proven to be highly effective. He is a pioneer in applying the “river in pond” fish farming method using advanced technology, which has brought high economic value.
At his family’s aquaculture area in Dong Ninh village, Tien Minh commune, Tien Lang district, there are hundreds of cages for raising brackish water fish such as tilapia, red tilapia, seabass, and especially sturgeon.
Nhieu shared that, utilizing his experience from the past several decades, he has found ways to raise sturgeon in floating cages on the Thai Binh River in Tien Lang.
“After thorough research, I decided to experiment with raising sturgeon in floating cages on the Thai Binh River, in the section flowing through Tien Minh commune, Tien Lang district. The results were beyond expectations; the fish not only grew quickly but also had a shiny, healthy appearance,” Nhieu recalled.
Due to the cages being designed with deep bottoms, the water at that time was clean, and the food source was guaranteed, so in the appropriate winter season, the growth rate of the sturgeon reached 0.5kg/month/fish. Additionally, the sturgeon raised here had an attractive light brown color and delicious meat.
There were times when Chinese sturgeon was only about 200,000 VND/kg, his sturgeon was still sold for 240,000 – 260,000 VND/kg.
“The profit is very good; no freshwater fish can compare to sturgeon, not even pangasius. As we are raising here, just selling at 200,000 VND can already yield about 100,000 VND in profit,” he shared.
Building on the initial success, Nhieu continued to invest in expanding the scale and number of cages, and now has a total of over 100 sturgeon cages with a production of hundreds of tons.
The process of raising sturgeon in floating cages on the river is also quite complex. The fish fry are raised at a farm in Ha Giang, and when they reach a weight of 600-700 grams, they are moved to Tien Minh commune, Tien Lang district for further raising. Here, the sturgeon are raised for about 6 months, and when the cold weather in the North ends, they are sold to traders.
However, raising sturgeon in this environment also comes with many risks, the most concerning of which is the environmental factor. This is because the water in the river is no longer as clean as it used to be.
According to the Hai Phong Fisheries Sub-Department, the initial results of raising sturgeon in floating cages on the Thai Binh River in Tien Lang district by Pham Van Nhieu are promising. This opens up a new direction in aquaculture for farmers and businesses.
Additionally, these efforts contribute to the protection of the sturgeon species, which is currently at high risk of extinction. This contributes to sustainable and responsible aquaculture development. However, to replicate this model in Hai Phong, more time, technical processes, and evaluations from competent authorities are needed.
VFM
