Nearly 4,000ha of marine farming allocated in Quang Ninh
Quang Ninh province is pushing to become the northern hub for marine aquaculture, with more than 45,000 hectares of coastal waters zoned for development across nine localities. To date, nearly 4,000ha have been allocated to 33 organizations and 754 individuals for aquaculture operations.
According to the provincial Department of Agriculture and Environment, 3,501ha have been granted to 33 organizations including 12 enterprises and 21 cooperatives, while nearly 464ha have been assigned to households. The zones are largely designated for molluscs (13,000ha) and marine fish (5,000ha), with remaining space reserved for navigation routes and ecological buffer zones.
Progress on licensing, however, has been slow. Despite the approved master plan, many localities continue to face difficulties in mapping coordinates, finalizing farm zoning diagrams, conducting environmental impact assessments, and handling sea surface lease fees. Several companies and cooperatives have yet to prepare detailed projects, resulting in incomplete applications that fall short of the province’s sustainability requirements.
Phan Thanh Nghi, Deputy Director of the Department, said the province is working to remove bottlenecks, stressing closer coordination between technical agencies and local authorities to guide farmers and cooperatives in completing environmental documentation, licensing procedures, and site allocation. He emphasized that new projects must align with zoning plans, avoid disrupting navigation, and prevent overlaps with other developments.
Accelerating the licensing process is expected to secure stable livelihoods for coastal communities while advancing Quang Ninh’s strategy for high-tech marine farming linked to value chains and eco-tourism, ensuring sustainable resource management and environmental protection.`
VFM
