In 2006, despite a number of difficulties in the consumption market, material sources, changeable weather, oil price hikes and diseases, the seafood sector of the southern Ca Mau province made significant progress. The total exploitation and aquaculture volume reached 277,500 tonnes, a year-on-year increase of 9.1 percent and export volume reached 66,000 tonnes, up 13 percent compared to the previous year. The province has successfully carried out 60 aquaculture models in different ecosystems.

In the first two months of this year, aquaculture volume is estimated to reach around 20,000 tonnes. Most households have yielded the first industrial shrimp crop and are preparing for new crops. The number of shrimp breeders is increasing steadily. Currently, the farming of fresh-water fish is also developing strongly and bringing high incomes for households in the districts of Cai Nuoc and Thoi Binh. U Minh, Thoi Binh and Tran Van Thoi districts are harvesting river fish.

Ca Mau is transferring to off-shore fishing. It has poured a great deal of investment into improving the infrastructure of the fishery sector. In the 2001-2005 period, Ca Mau yielded more than 645 tonnes (including 139 tonnes in 2005) from seafood exploitation volume. It earned US$580 million in export value in 2006, up 13.8 percent compared to 2005. Aquaculture production value increased by 70 percent. Most seafood breeders have earned higher incomes than families involved in agro-forestry. Their average income was VND5-6 million per hectare, and the highest VND20-30 million per hectare. In early 2007, changeable weather badly affected the aquaculture environment, however, breeding shrimp output was equal to the figure of the same period of last year and is set to increase. Vietnam’s joining the World Trade Organisation created a firm foundation for the fishery sector to develop. During the past two months, seafood exports rose faster than the same period of last year. However, a shortage of materials caused difficulties for seafood production.

To transform the production mechanism, Ca Mau encouraged local people to raise shrimp, instead of growing rice. Diverse models of shrimp breeding have been developed. Many families combined raising shrimp with breeding fish, crabs and arca.