Kien Giang (VNS/VNA) - The Mekong Delta province of KienGiang has expanded aquaculture this year.

Local farmers breed mostly shrimp, fish, mud crab, and bivalvemolluscs in fresh and brackish water and the sea.

The aquaculture output topped 206,000 tonnes in the first eightmonths of the year, up 13% from the same period last year, according to itsStatistics Office, with shrimp accounting for more than 95,600 tonnes.

Quang Trong Thao, Deputy Director of the provincial Department ofAgriculture and Rural Development, said shrimp is farmed on more than 142,000hausing various models like industrial, semi-industrial, extensive and advancedextensive, and shrimp-rice farming.

The province has reorganised aquaculture, especially shrimpfarming, towards developing value chains, he said.

It has established linkages between co-operatives, co-operativegroups and companies to develop value chains, helping improve competitiveness,ensure origin traceability, protect the environment, and adapt to climatechange.

The province is developing models that comply with Vietnamese goodagricultural practices (VietGAP), organic and several international standards.

It has invested in irrigation, power and transport systems to serveaquaculture production in the Long Xuyen Quadrangle and U Minh Thuong area.

It targets growing aquaculture at 5% a year from now through 2030with output reaching 484,780 tonnes in 2030.

With a coastline of more than 200km and 143 islands, the provinceis well equipped for aquaculture, including farming of bivalve molluscs andmarine caged aquaculture.

It is rarely affected by storms and its seas are of moderatedepth, both big advantages in marine aquaculture.

The province with the largest number of floating cages -- 3,600 --at sea in the delta for breeding fish and other species had an output of 3,000tonnes last year.

The provincial People’s Council has approved a project forsustainable aquaculture development on an area of 5,500ha in Hon Dat districtin the 2023-2026 period.

It will cost 624 billion VND (26.6 million USD) and requirebuilding infrastructure like irrigation works, roads and power supply systems.

It will also implement livelihood models such as shrimp-ricefarming and breeding of giant river prawns and other aquatic species./.