Developing an Agricultural Research
and Development Priority
Framework
for Vietnam
Fisheries Sub-Sector Workshop
Data and Information Sheets:
Areas of Research & Development
Opportunity (ARDOs)
ARDO 1: Marine Finfish
ARDO 2: Cold Water Fish
ARDO 3: Crustaceans
ARDO 4: Mollusks
ARDO 5: Fresh Water Fish
ARDO 6: Post Harvest, Processing & Value Adding
ARDO 7: Extraction of Bio-Active Compounds
ARDO 8: Resource Management & Conservation
ARDO 9: Mechanisation
December 2006
Fisheries Priroity Workshop Data & Evaluation Sheets
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ARDO 1: MARINE FINFISH
1 ARDO DEFINITION
1.1. National Goal:
To increase the scale of sustainable production and quality of marine finfish, including
the development of reliable seed stock and fingerling supplies and high value fish.
The MOFI target for 2010 is 300,000 tons of marine finfish with a market value of
US$4 billion.
1.2. Research Scope:
Research to improve selection of appropriate species for local conditions and to improve
brood stock culture, larval and fingerling rearing systems. Research in the development
and application of natural feeds for larvae and nursery culture and the reduction of trash

 Marine finfish is a new industry in Vietnam. There is little information or statistics
on production available.
 Some information on the number of cages e.g. Hai Phong about 8000 cages and in
Quang Ninh. About 4000 cages sea cages.
Value and Markets
 Grouper is a high value species in national and international markets. For example,
spotted grouper is the lowest price of among other grouper, but the price is
approximately of 10USD. Other marine finfish such as cobia, sea bass, and Red sea
bream have lower value, average of 3-4USD/kg.
 The price of grouper varies depending on the demand from the local and
international market.
Table 1. Price of orange spotted grouper in Quangninh and Haiphong, 2006
(USD/kg)
Month Fish size (kg) Quang Ninh (USD/kg) Hai Phong (USD/kg)
January
0.5 – 2 11.39 12.03
2 – 4 10.13 10.44
February
0.5 – 2
10.76 12.03
2 – 4 9.49 10.44
March
0.5 – 2 11.39 12.03
2 – 4 9.49 10.13
April
0.5 – 2
10.76 11.39
2 – 4 6.96 7.59
May
0.5 – 2 10.13 11.39

comparative disadvantage to industry development as import tax and trade barriers
for imports are likely to be reduced.
Government Policies
Name and contents of regulations Publisher Date of issue
Decision N
o
112/2004/QD
-
TTG
National fisheries and
aquaculture development program from now to 2010 and
the direction for 2015
Approved by Prime
Minister of Vietnam
11/1/2006
Decision N
o
154/2006/QD
-
TTG
National administration
on drugs and chemicals and food safety condition in
aquaculture from 2006 to 2010.
Approved by Prime
Minister of Vietnam
30/6/2006
Decision N
o
03/2005/CT
-

Approved by Prime
Minister of Vietnam
2004
National standard N
o
TCVN 6986: 2001
Water quality
standards for industrial effluent discharged into coastal
waters for the purpose of the aquatic animal life
protection.
MOFI 2004
Sector standard N
o
28 TCN 192: 2004
Cage culture area
-Conditions for food safety.
MOFI 2004
Fisheries law
National Assembly
Publishing House
12/10/2003
Decision N
o
01/2002/QĐ
-
BTS
List of banned chemicals
and drugs in aquaculture.
MOFI 2002
National standard N

Households and Size of Holdings
 Grouper and cobia culture systems implement traditional small scale culture methods
based on bamboo cages, wooden cages. Square or reticular cages are of 20 to 50
cubic meters. Advantages of these systems are low installation cost, easy to manage
and appropriate for small farms. For example, the price of a wooden cage of 100m³
in catba is about 2,000 USD. This type of culture system is suitable for lagoons
where there is little impact from big waves and strong winds. Return on capital
investment is relatively short and may take 2-3 years to reach the break even point
depending on the experience of farm owner and the investment capacity.
 Recently, some commercial farmers have adopted a Norwegian production model
using a circular cage with a larger volume (500-750m
3
). There are some private and
international companies invest to grow some marine species including grouper, cobia
pompano, and pearl in the coastal areas or offshore areas. The operational cost of
these companies is not yet documented, so there is no information about the time to
reach breakeven point.
 Because of white spot disease in shrimp farming, many shrimp farmers are shifting
into marine finfish culture. Species cultured in shrimp ponds include sea bass, Red
sea bream and milkfish.
3.2 Supporting Infrastructure
 There is no commercial pellet feed for marine finfish available at the moment, so
farmers still use trash fish.
 No marine finfish processing manufacture available yet. Therefore, the trading of
marine aquaculture product is dominated by private company or traders.
3.3. Markets
 Currently the domestic market for marine finfish aquaculture products is mainly in
restaurants, hotels and tourist areas. The domestic market is expected to grow
considerably as supply increases, per capita income increases and market prices
decrease.

 Red sea bream spawning and fertilization
 Red sea bream nursery techniques
Grow out culture technique
 Sea cage design, produce and practice management
 Sea cage aquaculture techniques
 Pellet compounds for grow out phase of marine finfish aquaculture
 Marine finfish culture techniques in earthen pond and inland farming systems
 Environmental practices management in marine finfish culture in earthen ponds and
in the sea cages farming
Nutrient
 Artificial feed production for marine finfish larvae nursery
 Natural feed production for marine finfish larvae nursery
 Essential nutrients component requirement in larvae stages
 Nutrients requirement of marine finfish species at grow out stage
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Marine finfish diseases prevention and control
 Research on microbial diseases in marine finfish including disease cause by
parasites, protozoan, fungi, bacteria, and viruses
 Studying the diseases prevention and controlling method base on:
 Brood stock and fingerling screening
 Better management practices in sea cages farming and earthen pond system
 Vaccine development and vaccination to prevent bacterial infections and viral
diseases especially VNN infection in groupers, sea bass, cobia and other comedies
species.
 Application of herb extract to control diseases in sea farm
4.2. Major Research Providers
Ministry of Fisheries
 Research institute for aquaculture No1
 Research institute for aquaculture No2

development.
 Potential for large increases in domestic
and export markets
 Close to potential high value export
markets
 Long history of aquaculture activities, so
farmers have experience in fish culture
 Relatively good human resource skills in
aquaculture in general and marine
aquaculture sector.
 Low labour cost likely to increase
competitiveness for marine finfish
aquaculture industry.
 Useful as an alternative production option
for disease affected shrimp ponds
 Some large scale investment in marine
aquaculture now occurring
 The support from government and other
agencies is also a creative advantages for
this industry
 Marine finfish aquaculture is a new
industry so development of new knowledge
and research could be a challenge for
sustainable development.
 To date most of the production is small
scale using traditional wild seed collection
and trash fish feeding systems
 Lack of national strategies, planning and
development for marine finfish aquaculture
may adversely affect the development of

products that met international standards
for food safety
 Wild catch of grouper fingerlings may
cause depletion of natural resources with
adverse impacts on the marine ecosystem.
 Natural disaster is another threat for marine
finfish aquaculture industry.
 Adoption of high stocking, more intensive
and larger sea farming size, diseases and
waste pollution may directly impact on
sustainable development.
 Membership of WTO is likely to reduce
import tax for competitor countries and
lower cost imports may impact on industry
development and competitiveness.
Fisheries Priroity Workshop Data & Evaluation Sheets
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ARDO 2: Cold Water Fish
1. ARDO DEFINITION
1.1. National Goal:
To diversify freshwater species to increase the value of freshwater aquaculture and to
meet the demand of domestic and international markets
1.2. Research Scope:
Research on hatchery technology and grow out in different farming systems.
Development of suitable feeds and feeding systems, disease management and control
and assessment of environment impacts on and of aquaculture and food safety.
1.3. Coverage:
Samonoidae family includes Oncorhinchus mykiss, white fish. This fish is family
Coregonidae and scientific name is Coregonus lavaretus
Acipensidae family including Acipenser baerri, A. ruthenus

 In 2005, only 1500m2 of the pond was used for growing out rainbow trout and
250m3 of cages and tanks were used for culture of the sturgeon.
 In 2006, 3.4 hectares of the pond (1 ha in Lam dong province, 1,5 ha in Lao cai, 0.5
ha in Lai chau, 0.2 ha in Ha giang, 0.2 ha in Cao bang) were constructed for trout
culture
 Three farms used circulation systems in Hai duong, and other 1000m3 of the cages
were installed for sturgeon culture in Yen bai and Lam dong provinces
 In 2005 the fist production of rainbow trout was about 12 tons while sturgeon was
only 3.0 tons.
 In 2006 it is expected that the volume of trout could be reached to 100-120tons and
sturgeon may achieve 12-14 tons.
 Grow rate of the production of these fish is expected to be doubled each year within
5 years coming then remain 20-30% per year in the period from 2011-2015.
Value and Markets
 In 2005 value (farm gate value) of trout was VND1,400 - 1,500 million and sturgeon
was VND600 million.
 In 2006 it is expected that value of trout will reach to VND14,000 million (US$
900,000) and sturgeon will reach to VND2,4 million (US$150,000).
 The markets of these fish are domestic. The farm gate price of trout is about
VND120.000/kg, of sturgeon is VND200-220.000/kg.
 The market price of trout range is VND170-180,000/kg, while the price range of
sturgeon could be ranged from VND250-270,000/kg.
 With the expectation of the produced volume of rainbow trout, the import of the
valuable fish for high market will be reduced 30-35%, while an amount of 100-150
tons of fresh fish could be exported to neighboring countries in the future.
 Export of sturgeon is not expected,
 500 tons of sturgeon meat hopefully does not create any problem for domestic
market as sale price of fish is just as eel and grouper price.
Comparative Advantage
 Apart from cost of labour, Vietnam is unlikely to have any comparative advantage

and individual families.
 The size of the companies is ranging from 2-5 ha, with production capacity of 100-
200 tons while the size of family scale is 1000-5000m2 with the production capacity
of 10-20tons.
 For a 2 ha operation, cost of construction is about VND450 million (US$30,000),
Annual production expected is 100 tons. Return expected is US750,000 with annual
production costs of around US375,000 and a net profit of approximately US$375,000
(VND6 billion) or US 187,500 per ha.
 For a smaller scale production unit of 2000m² construction cost is VND100 million.
Returns for 4 ton annual production is VND4.8 billion and net return is about
VND1.2 billion per year.
 The net profit from trout is about VND50,000 – 60,000 per kg of fish after 12 – 14
months.

3.2 Supporting Infrastructure
 The government has funded for construction of the research center for cold fish
species considering as the primary infrastructure for promotion of cold aquaculture
development.
 Government will also support for building infrastructure of the project which could
produce about 500 tons of fish (10 ha and above). It is expected that in the five years
Fisheries Priroity Workshop Data & Evaluation Sheets
11
coming there will be 4-5 intensive infrastructure sites will be built in the potential
areas.
 Some processing factories in different provinces mainly in the north will be involved
in processing of filet and smoked products.
3.3 Markets
 The main markets are domestic. Since, these fish species are highly valuable, their
products will be sold in mainly supermarkets and restaurants.
 A part of the produced production will be exported to other neighbor countries in

allocated for the research on farming systems, feeds, disease, seed production,
processing techniques.
 An amount of VND5-6 billion will be allocated for dissemination of the research
results to users
4.4. Major Achievements to Date
 Import of fertilized eggs of the rainbow trout from Finland (the country has
temperature much lower than in Vietnam) has been carried out for the last two years.
The quality of eggs was very good, hatching rate was achieved 96-98%, and survival
rate of larvae to fry was around 90%. The primary survey on development of gonad
showed that within a year, some females already are reaching maturation stage. It
means that, the possibility of formulation of brood stock in Vietnam is basically
proven.
 The first experiment on hatching sturgeon eggs and nursing fry and fingerlings were
successful. The trial on culture of Siberian sturgeon in cold water resources, in Thac
ba reservoir and in recirculation in Hai duong has been carried out. Growth rate of
those fish in Sapa is much slower than in cages in Thac ba reservoir and recirculation
system in Hai duong.
5. SWOT Analysis
Strengths Weaknesses
 High market value species
 Domestic market likely to exceed supply for
many years
 Great potential in many mountain areas in
Vietnam, where tropical species grow slowly
 Potential for industrial aquaculture with high
productivity
 Fast growth
 Less pollution due to efficient use of feed
 No disease occurred as yet
 Private sector interested in investments

13
 Better use of water resources, cool weather
and turn disadvantages into advantage
Fisheries Priroity Workshop Data & Evaluation Sheets
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ARDO 3: Crustaceans
1. ARDO DEFINITION
1.1. National Goal:
To expand and diversify rearing methods and to improve the competitiveness, product
quality, food sanitation and safety (HAACP) of crustacean production for species of
major economic importance.
The Government target for aquaculture in 2010 is 2 million tons of yield, over US$2.5
billion in exportable value, providing employment and income for about 2 million
people. The target is for crustaceans to contribute to 60% of the total value of aquatic
products.
1.2. Research Scope:
Research to improve technical process for hatchery reproduction, higher yield and
propagation quality, and to build the technological process of rearing for marketable
size product. Development of quality standards and quality assurance for seeds,
suitable food, and management rearing conditions. Research on solutions for safe
rearing, improvement in product quality and management and control of aquatic
diseases. Market development research.
1.3. Coverage:
 Priority objects for coastal culture : Tiger shrimps, mud crabs
 Priority objects for sea farmring: lobsters
 Priority objects for freshwater culture: Giant river prawns
2. INDUSTRY STATISTICS
2.1 Introduction
The crustacean species are economically important and have had a significant impact on
development of the aquaculture in Vietnam. They contribute 60% total of the total

become more and more specialized in each production phase such as juvenile
reproduction (post larvae) and production of marketable products
Table 1: Annual Tiger Shrimp Production
Year Tiger shrimp juvenile yield
(million individuals)
Tiger shrimp yield
(ton)
2000 11440 97628
2001 16291 156636
2002 19363 189184
2003 26429 234412
2004 25943 290797
2005 28279 324680
 Mud crabs are reared in brackish water ponds in coastal areas within a 5-25%
salinity range. Areas for rearing have increased from 35000 ha in 2000 to 115276 ha
in 2005. Production is often practiced in place of tiger shrimps in the areas where
tiger shrimp culture is marginal and has low efficiency. Annual production of mud
crab juveniles from hatchery is approximately 480- 800 tons.
 Lobsters are reared mainly in cages or traps in bays and lagoons within a 30-35%
salinity range. The number of lobster cultured cages/ traps has increased from 14000
in 2000 to 35000 in 2005 and occupy approximately 1 million ha of sea area. They
are the only high value commercial crustacean species capable of production in the
sea. However the juvenile source depends entirely on harvesting from nature. The
lobster yields from farming was 500 tons in 2000, 2.400 tons in 2004 but was only
1.500 tons in 2005 because of high mortality of the juveniles.
 Giant river prawns are mainly reared in fresh water areas in the Cuulong river Delta.
Crop production is from April to October each year. Prawn culture is practiced in
only four provinces: Angiang, Cantho, Dongthap and Vinhlong. Areas have
increased from 1800ha in 2001 to 3839ha 2004 which occupies approximately 0.43%
total fresh water areas. They are the only high commercial value fresh water

harvest is not high resulting in decline of the product quality and
competitiveness.
Governmental policies
 Government policies to encourage developing aquaculture in coastal and sea areas
include:
o 09/2000/NQ-CP of 15
th
June 2000 about transforming economic structure
and consumption of agricultural products;
o 03/2000/NQ-CP resolution mentioned farmstead economy;
o 103/2000/Q§-TTg Decision about investing infrastructure of trade village,
traffic and aquaculture in country side;
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o 112/2004/Q§-TTg Decision about the program of developing aquatic
juveniles until 2010;
o 126/2005/Q§-TTg Decision is the policy of encouraging to develop culture
seafood in sea, etc.
 Other encouragements include:
o Tiger shrimps, Giant river prawns and Mud crabs :
 The Government policies permit transfer of marginal areas for
rice, low ground and coastal areas to rear aquatic animals and to
develop cultural models depending on each ecological area.
 Planning cultural areas and irrigational systems sufficiently for
aquaculture.
 Strengthening the aquacultural extensive system and deploying
efficiently aquaculture models
 Giant are encouraged investing in technological process of
reproduction in local areas to gain 60.000 tons of marketable size
shrimps in 2010.

- 10 ha per
pond and the productivity is about 0.5 – 1 tons/ha/year
 Lobsters
o The lobster source is mainly from nature. Harvesting lobster juvenile is
done families by three main harvest methods: boat- net- light, trapping and
diving
o There are service systems as supply of juveniles, fresh food for lobsters and
buying marketable lobsters in the cultural areas.
o Marketable lobsters are cultured mainly in bays, lagoons along the Central
coast by two ways: in cages and in floats. After 18- 24 months, the
marketable lobster size is 800-1000 g per individual.
 Giant river prawns
o The juvenile source from nature meets only 30-40% demand of marketable
culture.
o Prawn hatcheries started developing in 2000. Most hatcheries are private
(77.4%). Others are state (19.4%) and collectives (3.2%). Production of
hatchery juveniles is 90 to 162 million individuals annually.
o Cultural models take many forms depending upon local characteristics and
include integration with prawn- rice crop rotations, semi- intensive culture,
intensive culture in ground ponds, in channel in gardens, in weirs in flood
areas and feeding by fresh food such as fresh water snails, trash fish. The
productivity is approximately 148- 924 kg per ha.
3.2 Supporting Infrastructure
 Tiger shrimps, Giant river prawns, mud crabs and lobsters
o 10 national hatcheries belonging to Research Institutes and Universities were
built in different ecological areas in the whole country to produce juvenile
with high quality for culture.
o The Centers of aquatic reproduction belongs to Aquaculture offices in locals
are also being built to provide sufficiently juvenile for culture. According to
the data census in recent years, there are over 4200 of private hatcheries

Live lobsters China, US The price from Vietnam is higher than from other countries in
the world because of higher quality and nicer coloration of the
tropical lobsters cultured in Vietnam
The processing techniques are not developmental yet.
It is possible to expand exportation to EU market.
Frozen
Giant river
prawns
US, Japan, EU The prices from Vietnam are lower than other Asian countries
because the exportable products are raw materials mainly.
The processing techniques are not developmental yet.
3.4. Future Trends and Key Market Issues
 Tiger shrimps: The need is to apply the international standards of safety in food and
managing quality bases on ISO and HACCP for domestic and international markets.
There is also a need to post-harvest processing and preservation technology to
increase export value.
 Mud crabs: The international market for live mud crabs is increasing but the price is
low because the products are raw materials. The need is to diversify the processed
products made from mud crabs to increase export values.
 Lobster: The export lobster price in the world market is increasing leading to
expansion of culture areas of lobsters. This will require improvement in juvenile
reproductive technology of lobsters in order to expand lobster production.
Development of Vietnamese lobster trademark and increasing in the exportable
values by diversifying lobster products are other strategies for development.
 Giant river prawns: the demand for Giant River prawns in the world and domestic
markets is increasing. The marketable size of prawns needs to increase to meet
market needs and international standards of safety in food and managing quality
bases on ISO and HACCP. To improve product diversity through processing and
preservation products after harvest to increase in exportable prawn values.
Fisheries Priroity Workshop Data & Evaluation Sheets

Institute for Aquaculture No 2 (RIA2) ; Research Institute for Aquaculture No 3
(RIA3) ; National Fisheries Assurance and Veterinary Association (NAFIQUAVED)
Research Institutes and Universities
 Oceanographic Institute
 Ecological Institute, TP HCM
 Viet- Russia Tropical Research Centre
 Fishery University
 Forestry- agriculture Thuduc University, HCMC
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 Cần Thơ University
 Forestry- agriculture Hue University
Others
 The local offices (Fishery offices, Scientific and Technological Offices, Encourage
Aquaculture centers)
 Aquaculture Association
 Private aquaculture hatcheries: over 3000 tiger shrimp hatcheries, approximately 100
mud crab hatcheries and 100 Giant river prawn hatcheries.
 There are over 20 Limited liability Companies and Stock Companies for Aquaculture
 The foreign organizations mainly includes DANIDA, IDRC, ACIAR
4.3. Funding
Estimate of finance for research in 2005
 About 6 billion VND (375000 USD) from the Government
 About 1 billion VND (93750 USD) from foreign fund
4.4. Major Achievements to Date
 Tiger shrimps: Develop high quality shrimp parent stock. Environment and aquatic
disease situation are surveyed and forecasted. Some different ecological areas are
investigated and evaluated for production suitability. Study on suitable feed for each
larval stage and for juveniles. Quarantine regulations for shrimp post larvae quality
and reduction of use of antibiotics in production market size shrimps.

 The potential area of suitable water surface
is very large.
 Diversity in production options suitable for
a wide range of aquatic conditions
 Many smallholders in shrimp production
with experience in production
 The live food sources in local areas are
plentiful.
 In Vietnam, employment is plentiful,
diligent and cheap.
 Experience technical personnel especially
in shrimp production.
 The governmental policies support
development of aquaculture.
 Provides employment in villages, coastal
areas with a relatively large number of
women employees.
 Provides improved income for poor
employees in villages to help improving
economic social life, eliminate hunger and
reducing poverty
 Production is small scale and supporting
infrastructure is weak
 Low levels of investment in prcessing,
preservation and packaging
 Relatively low education standard of
people is likely to reduce the speed of
uptake of new technologies
 Relatively poor supply of juveniles of high
quality and quality of marketable product is

 Strategies for meeting world market
standards for aquatic products from VN
after entering WTO
 Competition and contradictions in
community for use of water and land
resources
 for suitable water and land with agriculture
 Unstable market and fierce competition
between countries
 Fluctuation of cost depends on the chances
of supply and demand in the world
 The environment, epidemic diseases and
sanitation and safety of food are not
managed
 Natural calamity, typhoon, flood and
drought
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 Management of the environment and
natural resources to ensure bio-diversity
and availability of seed from natural
sources
 Development of food safety (HAACP)
standards and their implementation
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ARDO 4: Mollusks
1. ARDO DEFINITION
1.1. National Goal:
To promote the development, research and culture of mollusk species for national food

(ha)
Inundated tidal
area (ha)
Quang Ninh 201.160,0 273,1 48.748,8 116.361,0
Hai Phong 71.599,5 163,8 14.431,8 46.652,4
Thai Binh 37.930,2 51,8 10.368,2 23.605,0
Nam Dinh 40.039,3 82,9 10.608,7 22.717,0
Ninh Binh 8.084 17,7 2.586 3.189
Thanh Hoa 26.414,6 99,5 5.759,1 18.173.6
Nghe An 21.568,2 84,9 2.55,0 1.845.5
Ha Tinh 17.772,9 140,0 1.845,0