Khanh Hoa drives tech breakthroughs to become modern mariculture hub

Implementing Resolution No. 36-NQ/TW of the 12th Party Central Committee on the Strategy for Sustainable Development of Marine Economy to 2030 with a vision toward 2045, Khanh Hoa’s marine economy has undergone profound and comprehensive changes, particularly in aquaculture, where strong transformation has taken place through a shift toward high-tech and sustainable production.

From changing mindsets to adopting advanced mariculture models

In the waters of Van Phong Bay, giant HDPE cages now rise like “floating factories at sea”. Automated feeding systems operate based on environmental data, cameras continuously monitor fish stocks, and farmers can manage many operations directly from their smartphones. Far removed from the image of densely packed wooden cages once common in sheltered bays, Khanh Hoa’s industrial mariculture model is demonstrating a new approach: moving aquaculture farther offshore, reducing dependence on manual experience, and advancing toward large-scale, value chain-based production.

Few would have imagined that what is now considered Viet Nam’s pilot area for high-tech mariculture was once crowded with wooden cages, foam floats, and spontaneous fish farming operations dating back to the 1990s. At that time, mariculture expanded rapidly and output increased significantly. Production reached nearly 10,000 tons in 2020 and surpassed 20,000 tons by 2025, doubling within five years while creating livelihoods and improving incomes for thousands of coastal households. However, traditional farming methods gradually revealed many limitations. Most farmers operated on a small scale, relying on wooden cages unable to withstand strong waves and storms, while dense nearshore farming also posed risks of localized water pollution.

According to Nguyen Duy Quang, Director of Khanh Hoa’s Department of Agriculture and Environment, this technological transition did not begin overnight but had been guided and prepared for over many years through the involvement of enterprises and research institutes.

As early as 2000, Ngoc Trai Co., Ltd. piloted circular HDPE cages in Dai Lanh commune. In 2006, Marine Farms ASA Co.,Ltd (Viet Nam) and Australis Viet Nam Seafood Co,Ltd continued investing in industrial-scale HDPE cage systems in Van Phong Bay. To create a practical foundation for wider replication, the Research Institute for Aquaculture successfully implemented a demonstration model for industrial mariculture in 2013.

Pilot implementation of high-tech mariculture models across farming areas has demonstrated the clear advantages of large HDPE cages over traditional wooden rafts, especially their ability to support offshore expansion in marine fish farming.

Khanh Hoa has developed several large-scale high-tech farming zones, including a 384-hectare offshore barramundi farming area operated by Australis Viet Nam, with output reaching 250–300 tons per cage, and a system of 42 golden pompano cages managed by the High-Tech Mariculture Center under the Research Institute for Aquaculture, producing 150–200 tons annually.

Beyond the enterprise scale, a model involving five households operating 10 golden pompano cages (800 cubic meters per cage) in Dam Bay, Nha Trang, has clearly demonstrated the effectiveness of high-tech mariculture for household economies. The first production cycle yielded a total output of 36.5 tons, with fish survival rates exceeding 85%, faster growth, and significantly lower feed conversion ratios compared to traditional cage farming. After deducting costs and depreciation, the model generated net profits of around VND 1.7 billion, with each cage bringing farmers an average profit of more than VND 485 million per cycle.

Identifying barriers and proposing solutions

Nguyen Duy Quang, Director of Khanh Hoa’s Department of Agriculture and Environment, noted that despite encouraging results, the province’s mariculture sector still faces numerous challenges.

One major issue is the inability to artificially produce seed stock for certain species such as spiny lobster and tiger grouper, forcing farmers to depend on wild sources or imports, which increases input costs. Climate change is also bringing harsher natural disasters, with stronger storms making landfall more frequently in the province, while prolonged heatwaves create unfavorable conditions for aquaculture.

According to Quang, the greatest challenge at present is the instability of export markets, making it difficult to forecast long-term prospects. To achieve sustainable exports, he said authorities need to quickly establish standardized farming zones and water areas while building clear traceability systems. In addition, although the transition from wooden cages to HDPE systems is considered inevitable, the high investment cost remains a major barrier preventing widespread adoption among local farmers.

To gradually address these difficulties and move toward building a modern, safe and sustainable mariculture sector, Nguyen Duy Quang said Khanh Hoa province is implementing a range of coordinated solutions.

Turning the sea into an industrial production space

According to the review report on the implementation of Resolution No. 36-NQ/TW on the Strategy for Sustainable Development of Viet Nam’s Marine Economy to 2030 with a vision toward 2045, the Khanh Hoa Provincial Party Committee has proposed several key solutions related to mariculture development.

These include studying and issuing special policies to attract investment and accelerate marine economic development in line with the specific potential and advantages of coastal provinces; prioritizing resources to improve fisheries infrastructure and logistics while advancing offshore aquaculture technologies; reviewing planning schemes and reorganizing coastal residential areas to ensure climate change adaptation alongside sustainable livelihoods for local communities; strengthening efforts to protect clean, green and civilized coastal environments; and intensifying public awareness campaigns so that environmental protection becomes both a shared responsibility and a cultural norm among coastal residents.

In essence, Khanh Hoa is testing a new development model for Viet Nam: transforming the sea into an industrial production space rather than merely an area for natural resource extraction. If successful, this model could pave the way for other coastal localities to transition from small-scale fisheries to a modern ocean economy.

$1 = VND 26,390 (Source: Vietcombank).