Fish Farm Pollution - A Study of Clean-up Options in Vietnam

Aquaculture is a thriving industry in the Mekong Delta (MD) of Vietnam. Tra fish are the most popular catfish species bred in the region and they have become an important export item. As such they are an economically valuable product for many MD farmers. However, catfish farming is causing problems for the environment. Waste, especially wastewater, from fish farms is often not treated properly and is dumped into canals, creeks or rivers. This has a negative impact on local communities that rely on river water as their main water source. It also jeopardizes the health of fish and the sustainability of the industry itself. This study looks at this problem and assesses a number of treatment options that could bring pollution down to acceptable levels. The study finds that a trickling-filter systems would be the most cost-effective response to this challenge. However such a system would cost farmers more that they currently pay to discharge their polluting wastewater. The study therefore suggests a anumber of policy options that would encourage fish farmers to reduce the amount of pollution they discharge and help them to meet the necessary clean up costs.