Son La has significant advantages for developing freshwater aquaculture, with nearly 4,000 sq.km of hydropower reservoir surface area across various localities. In recent years, the province has focused on developing cage fish farming toward commodity production, and effectively tapping the potential of its water surface resources, contributing to enhancing agricultural restructuring, creating jobs and raising incomes for people living around reservoir areas.

To date, the province has more than 7,000 fish cages, with many farming areas developing into concentrated production clusters involving households, cooperative groups, cooperatives and businesses. It has established more than 15 safe aquaculture supply chains and manages over 2,000 fish cages meeting relevant standards.

Along with expanding production, fish farming establishments have stepped up the application of technical advances, used fingerlings from traceable sources, and gradually adopted digital transformation in managing farming areas, product traceability and product promotion. However, cage fish farming still faces several limitations, including inconsistent fingerling quality, unsustainable market linkages, and the application of science and technology and effective use of water surface resources falling short of the locality’s potential and advantages.

At the event, participants focused on discussing solutions for developing sustainable cage fish farming, including applying science and technology and digital transformation to production management; improving fingerling quality; managing the farming environment and preventing diseases; strengthening linkages in production, processing and product distribution; and building a brand for aquatic products from reservoir areas. These efforts are expected to increase added value and contribute to the effective and sustainable development of cage fish farming.

As part of the workshop, delegates visited a cage fish farming model on the hydropower reservoir and exchanged experience in fish farming and farming area management and solutions to improve production efficiency./.