Expanding Shrimp Aquaculture on Sandy Land in Vietnam

This report examines the potential, challenges, and opportunities of expanding tiger shrimp aquaculture on sandy land in Vietnam's central provinces. It highlights a shift toward utilizing previously unproductive coastal sandy areas to alleviate poverty and diversify livelihoods, while warning against unplanned expansion that could lead to environmental degradation and groundwater depletion.

• The central provinces of Vietnam possess approximately 100,000 ha of sandy land, with about 15,000 ha identified as suitable for shrimp cultivation. This area is distributed across Quang Binh (4,500 ha), Quang Tri (4,000 ha), Quang Ngai (4,000 ha), Ninh Thuan (1,500 ha), and Thua Thien Hue (600 ha).
• Sandy land aquaculture offers several economic and environmental advantages, including the use of unproductive land, creation of jobs for poor coastal populations, and the ability to achieve higher annual productivity than conventional soil ponds because cycles can be repeated two to three times per year.
• A primary environmental risk is the overexploitation of groundwater for freshwater supply, which can lead to land subsidence and saltwater intrusion into inland areas.
• Current aquaculture practices on sandy land often lack proper waste management, with wastewater frequently discharged directly into the sea or surrounding land, risking groundwater contamination and the spread of shrimp diseases.
• Ninh Thuan province has emerged as a leader in this sector; by the first half of 2002, its sandy land shrimp area reached 180 ha, with some ponds achieving yields of 5-6 tonnes/ha/crop.
• The technical process for sandy land aquaculture requires the use of waterproof liners (such as PE nylon, tarpaulin, or HDPE) to prevent water leakage, as the sandy soil is highly permeable.
• Vietnam's shrimp exports are heavily dependent on the U.S., Japan, and the EU, which account for 80-85% of global imports. The U.S. became Vietnam's largest aquaculture export market in August 2001, surpassing Japan.
• Vietnam faces significant competitive challenges in the international market due to higher production costs and lower productivity compared to Thailand, Indonesia, and China.
• To ensure sustainability, the report recommends combining shrimp aquaculture with the reforestation of coastal Casuarina forests to protect ponds from strong winds and moving sand dunes.
• The Vietnamese government has implemented several legal frameworks to regulate aquaculture, including Decision No. 01/2002/QD-BTS, which prohibits specific antibiotics and chemicals to meet export hygiene standards.

APA

International Institute for Sustainable Development (n.d.). Expanding Shrimp Aquaculture on Sandy Land in Vietnam. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/tkn_shrimp_vietnam.pdf

Chicago

International Institute for Sustainable Development. Expanding Shrimp Aquaculture on Sandy Land in Vietnam. n.d. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/tkn_shrimp_vietnam.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=International Institute for Sustainable Development |title=Expanding Shrimp Aquaculture on Sandy Land in Vietnam |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/tkn_shrimp_vietnam.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{internationalinstituteforsustainabledevelopmentndexpanding, author = {{International Institute for Sustainable Development}}, title = {{Expanding Shrimp Aquaculture on Sandy Land in Vietnam}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/tkn_shrimp_vietnam.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }