Việt Nam’s fisheries sector is undergoing a major transition from coastal catching to high-tech offshore aquaculture, with provinces like Khánh Hòa and Quảng Ninh pioneering industrial-scale models.

As the country seeks to build a sustainable blue economy, experts say stronger policy frameworks, modern technology and coordinated investment will be essential to fully unlock the potential of marine farming.

In the national strategy for sustainable maritime economic development, industrial-scale marine aquaculture is considered an inevitable path. Khánh Hoà, a province long rooted in fisheries, is emerging as a pioneer.

From traditional wooden cages located close to shore, the province has shifted to offshore HDPE (High-Density Polyethylene) cage systems capable of withstanding strong waves and adapting to climate change.

The launch of the Vạn Ninh High-Tech Marine Farming Cooperative, the province’s first industrial-scale marine aquaculture cooperative, marks an important step in this modernisation process.

Various models such as cobia, pearl grouper and lobster farming in Cam Ranh and Đại Lãnh have demonstrated outstanding economic performance, generating profits 110–170 per cent higher than traditional wooden-cage systems.

New technologies not only provide a clean and safe farming environment but also reduce pressure on nearshore waters, helping limit pollution and ecological conflicts.

According to Nguyễn Thanh Sang, chair of the Vân Phong Tourism–Aquaculture Cooperative, HDPE cages enable farmers to operate farther offshore, reduce risks from weather and disease while meeting international export standards.

Alongside production, cooperatives are also strengthening value-chain linkages, integrating marine aquaculture with experiential tourism to create sustainable livelihoods for local communities. Khánh Hoà is additionally promoting species with high ecological value such as Pacific oysters, seaweed, sea cucumbers, as well as pearl oysters to diversify products.

High potential

According to Trần Đình Luân, general director of the Directorate of Fisheries, Việt Nam has major natural advantages for developing marine aquaculture, yet growth remains below potential. Recent changes in management mechanisms have slowed implementation progress.

As Việt Nam shifts from capture fisheries toward aquaculture and the conservation of aquatic resources, aligning with green and circular economic trends, marine farming is expected to become a high–value sector. However, the country still largely exports raw products and has not yet to fully leverage its biological resources like its counterparts in Europe, the US and other regional countries.

Figures from the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment (MAE) show that there are over 6,500 nearshore marine farming establishments and more than 910 mid-shore sites, but only 27 offshore farms, a sign that production remains fragmented and vulnerable to natural disasters and pollution.

Phạm Thị Thu Hiền, head of the Vân Đồn Marine Farming Sub-Association in Quảng Ninh Province, said that the severe losses in Vân Đồn after Typhoon Yagi in 2024, when entire cage systems were destroyed, served as a stark reminder.

Limited technology, weak infrastructure and loose value-chain linkages also result in unstable output, making long-term contracts difficult. After storms, rapid and uncoordinated restocking often disrupts supply–demand balance, pushing prices sharply downward.

To address these bottlenecks, many coastal provinces are promoting closed marine aquaculture value chains.

In Quảng Ninh, Hiền said, the Vân Đồn Marine Farming Association was developing a seafood market model in Hà Nội equipped with recirculating water systems, HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point)-standard processing zones and cooperative-specific packaging to supply fresh seafood to urban consumers.

The association proposed a suite of digital-transformation tools: GPS-based farm mapping, cloud-based data storage, AI-supported disease diagnosis and production monitoring and the creation of an e-commerce platform, she said.

New momentum

In Khánh Hoà Province, the Government has approved a pilot programme for high-tech marine aquaculture, defining farming zones from the shoreline out to six nautical miles. The province has issued 39 industrial aquaculture permits and is guiding enterprises through procedures for marine area allocation.

Luân of the Directorate of Fisheries emphasised that developing marine aquaculture on a sustainable path would require cooperation among the State, businesses and associations. Strong value-chain links would help form enterprises large enough to drive industrial-scale production.

Current regulations on transitioning certain fishing activities had also opened opportunities for coastal provinces to shift from unsustainable capture fisheries to aquaculture integrated with tourism and marine services, raising community incomes, he added.

Nguyễn Duy Quang, director of Khánh Hoà's Department of Agriculture and Environment, recommended that the Government provide investment support for farming infrastructure such as marker buoys, cage-anchoring systems and fishery logistics centres. He also proposed policies linking marine aquaculture with sectors like tourism and oil–gas.

The MAE is developing national standards for marine aquaculture, expected to be completed in 2026, forming the basis for investment, insurance and risk management.

According to Nguyễn Hữu Dũng, president of the Việt Nam Marine Farming Association, the immediate task is to finalise long-term marine-area allocation procedures. At the same time, industrial clusters and marine aquaculture zones – both offshore and onshore – should be established, allowing enterprises to invest in infrastructure, while fishers and cooperatives lease space for production.

This model can reduce initial costs, enhance professionalism, mitigate pollution and ensure internationally compliant traceability.

Environmental impact assessments also needed reform, Dũng added, recommending that the Government study the carrying capacity of each marine region and allocate farming zones accordingly, instead of requiring individual farmers to prepare technical reports beyond their expertise. VNS