Breeding sturgeon according to international standards at Son La hydropower reservoir

Many advantages of developing cold water fish

Son La hydropower reservoir downstream of La village, Muong Trai commune, Muong La district, Son La province is a windy area, clean water source, so it is very convenient for sturgeon farming. Since 2012, Son La province has implemented trial farming, showing that sturgeon species raised in this environment grow well, with a high survival rate. In particular, some precious sturgeon species can grow well such as Belgula sturgeon, Russian sturgeon, etc., with children weighing 50 - 70kg.

According to Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Toan, Director of the Sub-Department of Livestock, Veterinary and Fisheries in Son La province, the locality is focusing on developing aquaculture, especially on the lake bed of the Da River, concentrated in Quynh district. Nhai and Muong La for centralized and large-scale production.

Key products with advantages in the province, such as some cold-water fish, will serve local needs as well as export to international markets.

“Son La is one of the localities with advantages in cold water fish farming due to suitable natural conditions. In addition, the province has also focused on directing businesses, large corporations as well as people in the area to invest and develop in the direction of high technology and technology. In particular, in the area, a number of businesses have also developed aqua-breeding, raising sturgeon, salmon, etc. Typically, the sturgeon farming model of Vietnam Sturgeon Group in Muong La district, at the time. In the past time, it has operated quite effectively," Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Toan shared with Vietnam Agriculture newspaper.

Vietnam Sturgeon One Member Co., Ltd - Son La is one of the enterprises under the Vietnam Sturgeon Group, pioneering in raising sturgeon according to VietGAP standards and has been approved by the Center for Industrial Transfer and Fisheries Services of Vietnam. (General Department of Fisheries - Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development) certified VietGAP standard in October 2017.

Each sturgeon after being sold is assigned a traceability code by the Company. Accordingly, customers buying sturgeon can scan the product code via smartphone applications to check the fish breed, farming location, and start date of farming. Every year, the company's sturgeon is consumed very strongly in the markets of big cities and provinces such as Hanoi, Ninh Binh, Thai Binh, Thanh Hoa...

Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Lan, manager in charge of the sturgeon farm of Vietnam Sturgeon Company - Son La shared: Since the Covid-19 epidemic was controlled, tourist areas reopened, Vietnamese sturgeon Men consume normally. On average, we consume more than 10 tons of sturgeon per month. If we try to consume 13-20 tons per month, the production and business situation will be stable.

Strict sturgeon farming process

According to Mr. Mai Tuan Anh, Chief Engineer of Vietnam - Son La Sturgeon One Member Co., Ltd, the environment of Son La hydroelectric reservoir is very suitable for raising sturgeon. By 2015, the Company has expanded the number of cages to 283 cages with an area of about 4 hectares on the lake bed with 200,000 fingerlings, about 200 tons of commercial fish and 100 tons of broodstock.

“The sturgeon raised in Son La hydropower reservoir mainly needs to be concerned about temperature. Because sturgeon is a species that lives in cold water, high temperatures will affect the health of the fish, even causing the fish to die. As for other health problems, we don't need drugs and antibiotics, but just need to add vitamin C to increase the fish's resistance, "said Mai Tuan Anh.

The company's chief engineer added that the sturgeon raised in Son La hydropower reservoir has very good quality and all meet VietGAP standards and food safety standards. Fish cultured for 2 years can reach a weight of 2kg/fish.

Besides, another extremely important factor to keep in mind when raising sturgeon is food. Sturgeon is raised with industrial feed mixed with canal fish, pureed sea fish with high protein content. When the fish is young, the food will be a mix of fresh fish and industrial bran. 

When the fish is big, it can be fed with agricultural bran. Industrial bran must also ensure standards. If the weather is hot, it is necessary to reduce the amount of food, in the cool weather, food will be added to increase the weight of the fish.

Sharing about the sturgeon farming process, Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Lan, the manager in charge of the sturgeon farm of Vietnam Sturgeon Co., Ltd - Son La affirmed that the sturgeon here are raised in accordance with the technical process of the company. Russia and Norway.

Sturgeon will be cared for carefully from baby to adult, monthly will be weighed to determine the amount of food daily, from which to plan to feed according to hot or shady weather. Besides, the fish farming process also needs to follow the techniques guided by foreign experts, from fresh food to industrial feed.

Mr. Lan also shared that the facilities must have enough cages to raise fish. One cage will be regulated to raise from 500 to 700 animals. In particular, cages for raising sturgeon must be conveniently arranged according to the flow of water, ensuring that they do not obstruct the flow of hydroelectricity and must be well ventilated and circulated to have oxygen and pH in accordance with the standards of aquaculture. produce.

Commercial sturgeon are raised in iron net cages floating on the river with a depth of 4-6 meters. Fish farms use seine nets to take advantage of the natural water environment. Density is maintained for each fish size, so technicians often have to screen to adjust both the food and the care regimen.

“At the moment, we are having difficulty with breeding issues. Previously, sturgeon was completely imported from Russia and the US, but during the Covid-19 period, international flights were disrupted, so we cannot import sturgeon eggs from Russia. We have not been able to import sturgeon caviar from Russia for 3 years now and hope to be able to continue importing them by the end of this year,” said Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Lan.

Currently, Vietnam Sturgeon Group has produced a number of varieties of sturgeon, caviar, but it is only enough to supply some of the Group's facilities in Lam Dong, Dak Lak and Binh Thuan, but not enough to serve service for Son La sturgeon farm.

"Over the past time, Son La province has coordinated with central ministries and sectors, especially some agencies of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Central Farmers' Association, the Vietnam Cooperative Union to implement the link. Connecting consumption of cold water fish products in the province We also have a program to coordinate with some other localities, especially with Lao Cai province to organize business study tours. experience as well as exchange production experience as well as connect product consumption to the market of your province and can aim to export sturgeon products to the Chinese market", said Director of the Sub-Department of Livestock and Animal Production. y, Son La Fisheries said.