The floating fish cages in the middle of the reservoirs open up a new livelihood for highland people, contributing to effectively exploiting the water surface potential. However, along with that comes the increasingly urgent requirement to protect the water environment, a decisive factor for the sustainable development of reservoir fish farming.

Unlocking water surface potential

Điện Biên is located upstream of three major river systems, including the Đà River, Mã River, and Mekong River, with a total basin area of about 9,500 square kilometers. Along with a dense network of rivers and streams and 13 irrigation reservoirs, the locality possesses abundant water surface resources, creating favorable conditions to develop aquaculture. Currently, the whole province has nearly 90 cage fish farming facilities with about 570 cages and a total farming volume of over 70,000 cubic meters. The aquaculture area reaches nearly 2,800 hectares, an increase of more than 4% compared to 2020; the harvested aquaculture output reaches over 5,000 tons each year. These numbers show that reservoir fish farming is gradually becoming a promising economic development direction in Điện Biên.

On the Loọng Luông reservoir, Mường Phăng commune, fish cages are connected and stretch across the calm water surface. The clear water source and suitable temperature have created conditions for the people to boldly introduce many new fish breeds into experimental farming, including the American catfish - a farming subject currently yielding quite high economic efficiency. According to the model jointly deployed by specialized agencies since 2023, fingerlings are nursed in ponds before being transferred to commercial farming in floating cages. After about 20 months, from 20 farming cages, a fish output of 60 to 70 tons can be harvested, which is higher than the traditional farming model.

Trần Bá Quảng, Director of Tân Tiến Cooperative, said: “After about 20 months of farming, strictly adhering to techniques, the fish develop very well without any disease outbreaks. The fish have high adaptability; besides industrial feed, they can make additional use of corn and cassava, which is suitable for farming conditions in Điện Biên.”

Not only cooperatives, but many households are boldly investing in developing the cage fish farming model. Vàng A Chỉa in Loọng Nghịu village, Mường Phăng commune, shared: “The economic efficiency is quite high. The water here is cold, so the fish meat is firm and delicious. Although the catfish is not too big, the quality is better than many other types of fish. My family also wants to further expand the model.”

At the Hồng Khếnh reservoir, Thanh Nưa commune, Hải Hà Cooperative is one of the pioneering units in cage fish farming since 2014. From the initial 10-plus cages, the cooperative has now expanded to over 40 cages with a total area of over 2,000 square meters, farming fish breeds with economic value such as red tilapia, grass carp, and monosex tilapia. Nguyễn Khang Mừng, Director of Hải Hà Cooperative, stated: “The annual fish output reaches about 70 - 80 tons. The biggest experience is choosing good breeds, keeping the water environment clean, and adding vegetables, tubers, fruits, and medicinal leaves to prevent diseases for the fish.”

Keeping water green for sustainable fish farming

The rapid development of the cage fish farming model is bringing a stable income source to many households, but it also places significant pressure on the reservoir’s water environment.

According to statistics, the aquaculture area of the entire province in 2025 increased by nearly 112 hectares compared to 2020, leading to an increasing number of cages. If not well controlled, the amount of excess feed and waste from the fish will accumulate at the bottom of the reservoir, causing water pollution, generating diseases, and directly affecting aquaculture quality. Therefore, along with expanding the scale, environmental protection requirements are becoming a problem that needs to be solved for reservoir fish farming.

In the reservoir fish farming area, specialized branches regularly guide residents to choose appropriate cage locations, maintain reasonable farming densities, use standard feed, and periodically clean the cages. Thanks to this, people’s awareness of protecting the water environment has gradually changed. Nguyễn Khang Mừng, Director of Hải Hà Cooperative, shared: “In the past, lacking supporting equipment, there was a time when fish died en masse due to a lack of oxygen. Currently, my family has invested in aerators to increase oxygen in the water. After each farming crop, the net cages are removed for cleaning, drying, and disinfecting with lime water before farming again. Specifically, we do not use chemicals to treat the water in the cages.”

Not only changing farming techniques, but many households are also gradually abandoning environmentally harmful habits such as directly discharging waste into the reservoir or abusing banned chemicals. These changes are contributing to keeping the reservoir surface green and clear, creating a foundation for the long-term development of reservoir fish farming. Amidst the vast waves of water, today’s fish cages are not only a place to nurture livelihoods but also show that the people of Điện Biên are learning how to harmonize economic development with environmental preservation. Because with reservoir fish farming, keeping the water green is also securing the future for themselves.