Economic analysis of the environmental impact on marine cage lobster aquaculture in Vietnam

Abstract

In Vietnam, marine cage lobster aquaculture has been expanding significantly over the last years. Besides the economic contribution for locals living in the coastal areas in Central of Vietnam, this industry has created some problems that are relating to the marine environmental protection where trash fish feed is predominant. This paper investigates the environmental impact on cage marine lobster aquaculture in Vietnam by using the Change of Productivity method in which nitrogen releasing from lobster cage is considered as the seawater quality parameter. And the usage of a mathematics function in this study is Mass Balance Model to calculate the total nitrogen loading volume in an every single crop in three provinces. This approach indicates the reverse relationship between lobster productivity (kg/m2) and volume of nitrogen releasing in a household unit. Additionally, the lobster productivity diminishes gradually if the number of cages increases in specific area. On the other hand, the estimation of the environmental effect uses the ‘Treatment Cost’ calculation for this waste has been done. However, this figure is lower than comparing that of the Change of Productivity method without considering the environmental carrying capacity. To give a strong recommendation to both local authorities, marine environmental management Departments and policy makers having a better consideration to the environmental and economic balance, the analysis of Cost – Benefit is presented in this study. This analysis shows that marine lobster aquaculture industry in Vietnam is profitable. However, because there is yet marine lobster food processing industry, the lack of awareness in environmental conservation from lobster farmers as well as the open-access sea in Vietnam that have been generating increasingly the marine water pollution. Therefore, in order to have a sustainability in cage marine lobster aquaculture development in Vietnam, it is vital for the local authorities and any other organizations to promote the development of high quality feed from food industry, to have technical training programs and raise up the awareness of the community in environmental protection as well as to plan strategic schemes to the entire region especially in the farming areas. Finally, setting up the environmental protection regulations to whose responsibility in a certain sea area is essential task to the government.