High technology helps control disease risks in aquaculture

At this time of year, frequent storms have brought dense rainfall to Ho Chi Minh City, posing many challenges for aquaculture. Alternating heatwaves and heavy rain cause fluctuations in water temperature, salinity, pH, and dissolved oxygen. This creates favorable conditions for disease outbreaks, resulting in adverse effects on aquatic health and productivity overall.

“After intense heat comes sudden rainfall, so fish get even more exhausted than humans, not to mention rainwater washing mud and waste from land into the water. After every heavy downpour, we have to be ready to aerate and quickly adjust water color,” said Hoa, a fish farmer on the Tra Va river in Long Son commune.

According to Doan Van Nam, Deputy Head of the Aquaculture Management Division at the Ho Chi Minh City Sub-Department of Fisheries and Fisheries Surveillance, rising temperatures stress aquatic species and reduce their resistance. Each weather shock causes sharp changes in pH, salinity, and alkalinity, which are ideal conditions for bacteria, viruses, and parasites to proliferate.

Currently, many high-tech aquaculture models are being deployed effectively in the Ba Ria – Vung Tau area of the city. In this area alone, there are approximately 23 organizations and individuals applying high technology in aquaculture, covering more than 431 ha. Among them, 21 facilities farm whiteleg shrimp at high densities. They are able to maintain farm quality thanks to recirculating water treatment systems, roofing, round tarpaulin-lined ponds, or membrane house structures.

These models help minimize the impact of storms, tightly control environmental factors, and limit disease outbreaks. Stocking densities can reach 250 - 500 shrimp/m², yielding 30 - 40 tons/ha/crop for 3 - 4 crops within a year, doubling the yields of traditional models.

“High technology enables strong environmental control, reduces weather impacts, and most importantly cuts disease risks,” Deputy Head Nam said. Beyond shrimp, many cage-fish farmers have shifted to automated aeration systems, paddlewheels, and sensor-based pH monitoring. As a result, farmers can respond immediately to weather changes rather than relying solely on experience.

Quyet Thang Agricultural Cooperative (Ba Ria ward) is a clear example of effective disease-risk control amid adverse weather patterns, thanks to high-tech application. In 2019, the cooperative began its first high-tech shrimp farming models in membrane houses. The farming area totaled 2,000 m² with four ponds of 500 m² each, alongside 7,000 m² allocated for recirculation and wastewater ponds. After the first crop, the cooperative harvested 20 tons of shrimp from 2,000 m², equivalent to 100 tons/ha/crop.

“Compared with traditional methods, including earthen ponds or simple tarpaulin-lined ponds, farming shrimp in membrane houses equipped with the water recirculation system represents a major leap in productivity, greater crop control, and a significant reduction in environmental disease risks,” said Nguyen Kim Chuyen, Director of Quyet Thang Agricultural Cooperative.

The Ba Ria – Vung Tau area now has an estimated 700 ha of high-tech aquaculture. Notable examples include farms operated by Minh Phu - Loc An Company, Phuoc Hai Company, Manh Cuong Company, and Cho Ben Cooperative. This not only stabilizes aquaculture production but also mitigates risks and significantly reduces costs at scale.

“If farmers are determined to do things properly and make a fortune from shrimp farming, they should invest systematically from the start. Better to invest heavily and recoup capital over a few years than to invest poorly and incur continuous losses. Diseases and natural disasters are becoming increasingly common. Disease control is no longer just about experience. It must be based on technology, techniques, and precise processes,” said Director Nguyen Kim Chuyen.

Vietnam's aquaculture industry is very diverse in terms of farmed species. Each species has common diseases, but also specific ones of its own. New and dangerous diseases are appearing more and more frequently with complex developments. The wide variety of species, farming models, and farming conditions also makes disease management and monitoring very difficult. The application of high technology in aquaculture has become more crucial than ever.