According to the 2025 aquaculture plan, Bac Lieu focuses on producing more than 72,000 hectares with models such as: super-intensive, intensive and semi-intensive shrimp farming; combined shrimp farming, shrimp - forest with fish and other aquatic products. Therefore, if salinity intrusion occurs earlier than expected, aquaculture in sub-regions converting production will face many difficulties in supplementing freshwater in March 2025.
According to the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Bac Lieu province, the South of National Highway 1A is affected by high tides occurring in February and March 2025, the water level of these high tides is forecast to exceed alert level III, threatening shrimp ponds, especially in coastal areas. In particular, 5 western communes of Dong Hai district (An Phuc, An Trach, An Trach A, Dinh Thanh and Dinh Thanh A) are at risk of flooding due to being lower than other areas. The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Bac Lieu province forecasts that more than 2,000 hectares of shrimp farming will be damaged by drought and salinity.
Mr. Ngo Nguyen Phong - Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Bac Lieu province - explained: For the area converting to the North of National Highway 1A, from February to May 2025, there will be times when it is impossible to collect saltwater during high tides in the large culverts of Gia Rai and Ho Phong, but only drain water in one direction. The reason is that at this time, saltwater is likely to reach the North of Hong Dan district and follow Xeo Chich canal to penetrate Hau Giang province and Nga Nam town of Soc Trang province, affecting the winter-spring and summer-autumn rice in the stable sweet areas of the three provinces of Bac Lieu, Soc Trang and Hau Giang.
This will cause a local shortage of saltwater for aquaculture areas in the converted sub-region. Therefore, it is recommended that aquaculture households have a plan to reinforce the embankment, pump and store saltwater in settling ponds, lagoons, squares, monitor the water regulation situation and be more proactive in production...
To proactively collect water for production, Bac Lieu regularly announces on mass media and on 2 Zalo groups: "Bac Lieu Provincial Water Regulatory Board" and "Bac Lieu Provincial Natural Disaster Prevention".
For the model of raising stewed and semi- stewed shrimp, Bac Lieu province recommends raising only 1-2 harvests/year and only releasing 2 harvests/year for the model of deep-rooted white-leg shrimp. In particular, it is necessary to focus on reinforcing embankments, culverts, dredging infield ditches to store water in ponds, especially in the area south of National Highway 1A to prevent high tides...
