Giant freshwater prawn (Macrobrachium rosenbergii de Man, 1879) farming in brackish water areas of the Mekong Delta, Vietnam

Abstract

Giant freshwater prawn (Macrobrachium rosenbergii de Man, 1879) is one of important aquaculture species in Vietnam, especially the Mekong Delta. Farming of giant freshwater prawn has been so far very well-known in the freshwater area with some important systems, typically the alternative rice-prawn farming system. However, this industry has recently expanded rapidly and largely to the brackish water area. Currently, there is 15,270 ha of prawn culture in the Mekong Delta with total production of 5,306 tons, of which coastal provinces cover for 90.1% of total culture area and 64.8% of total production. Two important systems for prawn culture in the brackish water area are (1) Prawn and rice farming alternatively with tiger shrimp culture on the rice field; and (2) Prawn culture in pond alternatively with tiger shrimp culture. The survey on 108 households in Bac Lieu and Tra Vinh provinces found that while the system (1) is in extensive management with average yields 110 kg/ha/crop and net income of 11.5 millions VND/ha/crop, the system (2) is considered the semi-intensive farming system with average yield and net income of 886 kg/ha/crop and 68 million VND/ha/crop, respectively. A trial on prawn culture in 9 brackish water ponds in Tra Vinh province was also carried out which improved the yield up to 988-1342kg/ha/crop. Prawn culture contributed significantly to the total income of the farming systems. The success of these new farming systems together with a large area of brackish water surface in the Mekong Delta gives the industry a great potential for further development.Key words: