Water Resource Use and Environmental Impacts of Striped Catfish (Pangasianodom hypophthalmus) Farming Practices in the Vicinity of the Mekong Delta Area, Vietnam: a review

Chau Thi Da^1,3, Thai Huynh Phuong Lan²

¹ Department of Aquaculture, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, An Giang University, Vietnam.

² Department of Soil Science and Natural Resources, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, An Giang University, Vietnam.

³ Department of Animal Nutrition and Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences. P.O. Box 7024, SE-75007 Uppsala, Sweden

Abstract

Faced with growing pressure upon water resources, increased water productivity in agriculture as well as aquaculture in the Mekong Delta is essential. The commercial farming of striped catfish has been vigorously developed and has emerged as the most important aquaculture industry with the multiple crops per year. Currently, there are about 6,000 ha with over one million tonne of striped catfish of production in 2009, but this number is expected to increase up to 8,600 ha with 1.5 million tonnes and provide opportunity for 20,000 to 23,000 local employments by the year 2010. It will be increased up to 11,000 ha and 13,000 ha by the year 2015 and 2020, respectively. Most of the farmers carry out striped catfish pond culture based on their self learned experience and neighbors knowledge. Fish management skills of the majority have been developed through “learning by doing”, while a few has received some training in culture technologies at workshops. There are three kinds of popular feeds such as homemade, pellet and Pangasius waste used in this area. The fish density is quite high of 80-105 fish/m² as compared with the optimum range of 30-60 fish/m² and this requires more study in order to optimize stocking density and to assess its environmental impacts. There are some top constraints for striped catfish culture: poor water quality, disease problems, fish price and lack of capital. Almost all farmers have no environmental awareness, and environmental regulations for striped catfish culture have not been established. This paper provides baseline data on the current status, the detailed inputs and outputs of farming practices as well as provides an analytical overview of water resource use and the environmental impacts of intensive striped catfish farming systems in the vicinity of the Mekong Delta to answer the question of how long striped catfish farming can be sustained. Based on the findings from this study and other studies, recommendations will be made for the sustainable long term production of striped catfish in the Mekong Delta.

Keywords: striped catfish farming system, environmental impacts and water resource use