Unlocking the potential of marine aquaculture in Ho Chi Minh city: Untapped advantages

Marine aquaculture potential still untapped

Following its administrative expansion, Ho Chi Minh City has gained rare advantages to develop its marine economy. Beyond Can Gio, with its mangrove ecosystem and established marine economic zoning, the city now extends into the waters of Vung Tau and the Con Dao special zone. These areas are considered “treasure troves” for aquaculture.

Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Chu Hoi, Executive Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Fisheries Society, emphasized that Vietnam possesses tremendous potential for marine aquaculture, with Con Dao and Vung Tau standing out as ideal locations. Their rugged coastlines, numerous sheltered bays, calm waters, and proximity to shore provide favorable conditions for effective aquaculture, reducing risks compared to open-sea farming. “Once marine aquaculture develops well, pressure on natural fishing will ease, helping to address the IUU challenge and move toward a sustainable, responsible fisheries sector,” he explained.

In particular, the Ganh Rai Bay area has developed into a multi-sector marine economic ecosystem, encompassing the Cai Mep - Thi Vai port, petrochemical plants, offshore rig construction, logistics, and tourism. Combined with its aquaculture potential, the area could fully evolve into a regional marine economic hub, with fisheries playing a central role.

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In fact, the People’s Committee of Ba Ria - Vung Tau Province had previously adopted a policy to promote industrial-scale marine aquaculture, commissioning specialized agencies to conduct surveys and provide development advice. However, progress has since stalled. At present, only six households in Ben Dam Bay (Con Dao Special Zone) are licensed for marine farming, covering an area of about 2 hectares. Yet their permits have expired and have not been renewed.

Experts point out that the main cause lies in the overlapping of marine economic activities such as oil and gas exploitation, maritime transport, tourism, and aquaculture. Mr. Tran Thanh Huyen, Vice Chairman of the Con Dao Special Zone People’s Committee, noted that mass licensing for marine aquaculture could increase the risk of pollution in coastal waters due to farming activities.

In addition, the licensing process remains complicated, with unclear regulations on allocating marine areas, discouraging many businesses and fishers from making long-term investments. Large-scale aquaculture also requires substantial capital, advanced technology, and strong links to environmental protection, while most local households are still accustomed to small-scale, fragmented farming practices.

Controlled marine spatial planning needed

According to Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Chu Hoi, Executive Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Fisheries Society, Vietnam holds vast potential for aquaculture, particularly in Con Dao and Vung Tau. With its rugged coastline and numerous sheltered bays, the country’s waters are highly favorable for aquaculture, posing fewer risks than those of nations with open seas. As marine farming develops, pressure on wild capture fisheries will ease, helping to tackle IUU issues and aligning with the policy of restructuring the fisheries sector toward sustainability.

Following Ho Chi Minh City’s merger with Ba Ria - Vung Tau and Binh Duong, the advantages of marine economic development in Can Gio and Ganh Rai Bay have become even more evident. Already a marine economic hub with the Cai Mep - Thi Vai port, the Long Son petrochemical complex, and multiple industrial zones, the bay - once linked with Can Gio and future coastal urban developments - will form a multi-sector marine economic ecosystem in which aquaculture plays a key role.

Four years ago, the Government issued a Marine Aquaculture Development Plan; however, to date, very few entities have been granted licenses for marine farming. While planning provisions were included in the 2017 Fisheries Law, it was only last year that a marine spatial plan was officially approved.

At present, coastal provinces still lack map extracts and clear orientations for marine spatial planning. Provinces have jurisdiction only within six nautical miles from shore, while waters beyond that fall under national authority. Yet, the national plan remains overly macro and broad in scope. To implement, specify, and operationalize it at the provincial level, detailed circulars and guidelines are needed - but none have been issued so far.

Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Huu Dung, Chairman of the Vietnam Marine Farming Association, believes that for marine aquaculture to develop sustainably, long-term marine areas should be allocated to local communities, 30 years or more, so that businesses and fishers can establish well-structured, long-term investment and development plans. In addition, the State should facilitate access to credit, support business cooperation, and encourage participation in insurance schemes.

“Under current regulations, local people and enterprises are required to prepare environmental impact reports even before being licensed or starting operations, which creates many inconsistencies. This should, in fact, be the responsibility of the relevant authorities,” Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Huu Dung pointed out.

According to Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Chu Hoi, marine aquaculture must strictly ensure environmental protection, including reducing waste and litter; otherwise, farmers’ licenses should be revoked. For this reason, aquaculture cannot be separated from State management and oversight, especially in Con Dao Special Zone, where coral reef conservation and development plans are in place. Marine farming must also meet four key criteria: stocking density within a given sea area, stocking density within each cage, spacing between cages, and strict monitoring of feed types.

“The ocean has a natural self-cleaning capacity, but if aquaculture is conducted at excessive density, intensity, or beyond capacity, it will still cause pollution. Likewise, cage spacing and stocking density per cage must be regulated and standardized to avoid overloading the marine environment.

Feed type and quantity must also be standardized. If organic feed is used, it decomposes easily and disperses quickly, so it is essential to ensure no feed residues are left in the water, which could pollute the ocean and harm marine ecosystems,” Dr. Nguyen Chu Hoi explained.

To address the challenges and obstacles in marine aquaculture, the Government issued Decree No. 65/2025/ND-CP on March 12, 2025. The decree aims to remove institutional bottlenecks in accessing marine space, bringing significant changes to the mechanisms for ocean use and opening up new, breakthrough opportunities and drivers for the aquaculture sector.