Management of buoyant materials in aquaculture for brackish and salt water in Quảng Ninh province (Vietnam)

Abstract

High-density polyethylene (HDPE) material is widely used to make buoys in aquaculture. However, in Vietnam, Styrofoam is still the most popular material used among fish farmers due to its buoyancy, low cost, and availability in the market. There is a lack of regulations for the use and disposal of Styrofoam; moreover, a lack of concern regarding the consequences of mismanagement leads to impacts on the marine environment and ecosystems. HDPE plastic is a good substitute for Styrofoam, but the question is how to convince aquaculture households to voluntarily shift from one material to another or even force them through appropriate legislation for a cleaner environment. Based on the durability characteristics of Styrofoam and HDPE plastic, we have developed a local technical regulation on floating materials in aquaculture, which has been endorsed by the People Committee of Quang Ninh province and promulgated for adoption through the document coded QCDP 08:2020/QN. The method is a technical fence to be deployed to remove the foam buoys from aquaculture in the Quang Ninh province. So far, 87.8% of the buoys in the province have been converted to new materials. Quang Ninh is the first province in Vietnam to have a breakthrough in the management of foam buoys, contributing to the reduction of plastic waste in aquaculture.