Measures Used for Water Quality Management in Intensive Pangasius Catfish Production in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta: Experiences from Household Practices and Gender Roles

Abstract

Intensive aquaculture on a household-scale in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta region often decreases the quality of the water. The consequences are a negative effect on the yield of Pangasius catfish, which in turn reduces the income generation potential. Water quality management has become an important consideration, not only for sustaining livelihoods from household-scale aquaculture but also for mitigating the impacts on the surrounding water bodies. The purposes of this paper are to identify strategies for improving water quality management in households practicing aquaculture and to understand the role gender plays in water management in the Mekong Delta. The effectiveness of existing household approaches to water quality management was found through analyzing data gathered through interviews. The primary data consisted of interviews with 32 operators of different household-scale aquaculture systems. It was found that in 46% of these households, water quality had declined over the last three years. Several causes were identified including the accumulation of chemicals and antibiotic residues, excessive stocking rates, and a lack of a water treatment system. Several strategies to better manage water quality in these ponds were identified including changing the clean water more frequently, removing sediment after each harvest, planting trees around the ponds, and applying lime to the base of the pond, or using potassium permanganate for disinfection before use. Although many water quality management approaches were in use by households, more than 90% of these activities were implemented by men.