FARMING OF SNAKEHEAD FISH (Channa micropeltes and Channa striatus) IN THE MEKONG DELTA OF VIETNAM
Freshwater fish farming is very common and important in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam. Cage culture of giant snakehead (Channa micropeltes) was started in 1960s, while the farming of common snakehead (Channa striatus) was started in 1990s and has become popular in the flood-prone areas of the Delta now. However, the farming of these fish species depends heavily on the exploitation of wild indigenous fishes for feed and the wild fish stock has been rapidly depleted due to many reasons and has caused a number of issues. To date there has not been much information available on these issues. This paper is based on survey data collected in 2008 and 2009 and aims to provide a better understanding on the situation and to propose a set of solutions for further development of snakehead industry in the Mekong Delta.
The results showed that the cultured area or volume and the yield of fish varied strongly by type of farming systems. In order to harvest one kg of snakehead fish, about 4.0-5.0 kg of trash fish are used. All of the snakehead farmers used fresh water trash fish in flooding season (September to December), but about 60-70% of total amount of trash fish for snakehead culture were from marine capture, yearly. The major difficulties faced by snakehead farmers are: (1) lack of capital; (2) pollution of cultured area and difficult to treat the fish diseases; (3) unstable price of table fish; (4) increasing price of trash fish. These difficulties have resulted in a decreasing profit and a lower rate of successful farmers. If the cost of self-captured trash fish is taken into account, the rate of successful farmers of giant snakehead in 2008 was 63.6% for crop 1 and 87.5% for crop 2 (in respective percentage of the total number of fish farmers by group). The figures for common snakehead were 46.4% and 66.5%, respectively. Using trash fish for snakehead culture took away the low value sources of animal protein for a large proportion of local community, especially the poor people, and put a higher pressure on natural aquatic resources not only freshwater but also marine water ones. The management of this industry should be given more consideration, especially in terms of seed and feed supply, water pollution, market information and marketing of fish products.
The results showed that the cultured area or volume and the yield of fish varied strongly by type of farming systems. In order to harvest one kg of snakehead fish, about 4.0-5.0 kg of trash fish are used. All of the snakehead farmers used fresh water trash fish in flooding season (September to December), but about 60-70% of total amount of trash fish for snakehead culture were from marine capture, yearly. The major difficulties faced by snakehead farmers are: (1) lack of capital; (2) pollution of cultured area and difficult to treat the fish diseases; (3) unstable price of table fish; (4) increasing price of trash fish. These difficulties have resulted in a decreasing profit and a lower rate of successful farmers. If the cost of self-captured trash fish is taken into account, the rate of successful farmers of giant snakehead in 2008 was 63.6% for crop 1 and 87.5% for crop 2 (in respective percentage of the total number of fish farmers by group). The figures for common snakehead were 46.4% and 66.5%, respectively. Using trash fish for snakehead culture took away the low value sources of animal protein for a large proportion of local community, especially the poor people, and put a higher pressure on natural aquatic resources not only freshwater but also marine water ones. The management of this industry should be given more consideration, especially in terms of seed and feed supply, water pollution, market information and marketing of fish products.