Vietnamese investors are interested in establishing a sturgeon breeding enterprise in Champassak province following the provincial authorities’ success in breeding the fish species. The business would be located in Thongkalong and Houay Soy villages of Pakxong district because the weather and water conditions in those areas are suitable for the fish. Last year, Lao authorities worked with the Vietnamese government to run a pilot project to breed sturgeon and salmon in Thongkalong village. The project released about 1.500 sturgeon and 2.500 salmon fingerlings into fishponds about a year ago and, after some early setbacks, there are now around 80 salmon, each weighing between 1 and 1.5 kg, and 300 sturgeons, weighing between 2 and 5 kg. Vietnamese fisheries experts are assisting project officials in the hope of successfully breeding sturgeon and salmon for domestic consumption and export. The project determined that there is good potential to breed sturgeon in the province because the climate is suitable, particularly in the Thongkalong area. However, salmon are not suitable breeding in the province. The pilot project, which commenced about one year ago, has seen sturgeon growing at a faster rate than those being bred in Lam Dong province of Vietnam.
Source: Vientiane Times
