Illustrative image (Source: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has estimated fishing output reached about 651,900 tonnes in the first quarter of 2017, 1.4 percent more than the previous year.
Favourable weather conditions together with abundant marine stocks of shrimp, mackerel, anchovy and decapterus along the central and southern coasts have led to increased fishing activity during the period, the ministry said.
In addition, provincial authorities across the country have tightened control on destructive fishing practices, notably bottom trawling and the use of explosives and toxic chemicals, while implementing measures to support offshore fishing.
The central coastal provinces of Phu Yen, Binh Dinh and Khanh Hoa – the country’s main producers of tuna – brought ashore approximately 5,850 tonnes of tuna in the first three months this year. Binh Dinh alone caught 3,466 tonnes of tuna, up 75 percent year on year.
Meanwhile, aquaculture harvest was estimated at around 570,000 tonnes, a year on year increase of 2.7 percent during the first quarter.
The figure included about 247,600 tonnes of Tra fish, up 1.5 percent year on year. However, tra supply remains scarce, pushing prices up.
Tra fish is currently sold at 25,000 – 26,000 VND per kilo.
Meanwhile, brackish shrimp output from 535,600 hectares of aquaculture farms reached 68,300 tonnes in the first quarter, up 1.7 percent in farming area and 14.14 percent in output.-VNA
VNA
