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Sustainable Sturgeon Farming: A Successful Model at the Source of Sua Spring

10 June, 2025

The small dirt path that leads to Luong Thi Luc and her husband Pham Ngoc Thanh’s sturgeon farm in Xuan Son village (Son Dien commune, Quan Son district) was damp from the previous night’s rain. Next to the clear Suoi Sua stream flowing from the primary forest, concrete sturgeon ponds, water pipes, and a functioning filtration system could be found. Few would have guessed that just a few years ago, this place was an abandoned plot of land overgrown with weeds.

VENTURING INTO STURGEON FARMING IN THEIR HOMETOWN

Luc, an ethnic Muong native of Xuan Son village, graduated with a degree in Physical Education and Sports Pedagogy from Hanoi. She married Thanh, who shared the same field of study and hailed from Yen Bai. In 2015, the couple decided to return to Luc’s hometown to start a business, hoping to develop the local economy.

The water from Suoi Sua is cool, clear, and stable year-round, making it suitable for sturgeon farming.

Initially, the couple opened a bamboo chopstick and spoon production workshop, but the unstable output and fluctuating income led them to seek alternative ventures. During one of their bathing trips to Suoi Sua, Thanh noticed the water’s refreshing, clear, and stable qualities, ideal for sturgeon farming. Thus, they decided to venture into aquaculture right on their own homeland.

“My husband’s family had successfully farmed sturgeon in Yen Bai, so we had some experience,” Luc shared.

In 2020, the couple invested in their first farming system, consisting of concrete ponds built along the stream, utilizing natural water that flowed through a filtration system before being used for farming. They purchased 1,000 fingerlings from Sa Pa to start their trial. Caring for the fish was like tending to their children; every day, the couple monitored water temperature, food intake, and observed the fish’s eating and growth patterns.

After nearly a year, Luc and Thanh harvested over two tons of marketable fish, selling at VND 180,000-220,000 per kilogram, profiting nearly VND 100 million after expenses. This was no small sum in a mountainous district like Quan Son, which still faces many challenges. Building on this initial success, the couple boldly expanded their operation, increasing the number of fingerlings to 5,000 and then 10,000.

Luc and Thanh’s sturgeon are sold not only within the province but also to traders from Hanoi, Haiphong, and Quang Ninh, who come directly to their farm.

Realizing that purchasing larger fingerlings was costly and risky due to potential transport-related deaths, the couple decided to start hatching their own fingerlings in 2023. However, their first batch of 70,000 fingerlings mostly perished, resulting in a loss of over VND 200 million.

“We were really discouraged at first, but after investigating, we learned that fingerlings couldn’t be fed industrial pellets and needed a natural food source from the water. We applied this knowledge and improved our care methods, and the next batch had a survival rate of over 90%,” Luc recounted. Today, her family has complete control over their fingerling supply, significantly reducing costs.

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT, JOB CREATION, AND SHARING EXPERIENCE

Luc is eager to share her farming techniques with others in the region. So far, she has supported four households in Quan Son by providing them with fingerlings, food, and technical guidance on sturgeon farming. Her farm also provides stable employment for five local workers, with salaries ranging from VND 6-8 million per month.

Currently, the family farms approximately 20,000 sturgeon, generating nearly VND 2 billion in annual revenue, with a profit of about VND 600 million after expenses.

“Our sturgeon are sold not only within the province but also to traders from Hanoi, Haiphong, and Quang Ninh, who come directly to our farm. By maintaining the quality of our fish, we’ve established a loyal customer base,” Thanh said.

The cooperative’s sturgeon products have been recognized with a 3-star OCOP provincial standard.

In May 2023, the couple established the Thanh Luc Aquatic Agricultural Services Cooperative to facilitate production, business operations, and expansion. By the end of 2023, their sturgeon products had earned a 3-star OCOP provincial standard recognition.

This achievement motivated Luc to continue developing the model sustainably, gradually refining the production process from breeding to commercial farming and product consumption.

In 2024, she received a certificate of merit from the Thanh Hoa Provincial Farmers’ Association for her creative startup in the ethnic minority areas. In May 2025, she was honored by the Provincial Women’s Union as an exemplary woman in the 2020-2025 period for her successful economic endeavors.

Luc was honored by the Provincial Women’s Union as an exemplary woman in the 2020-2025 period for her successful economic endeavors.

With its cool climate, natural and stable water sources, Quan Son is considered to have potential for cold-water fish farming, particularly sturgeon. However, sustainable development requires technical support, capital, and market access facilitated by local authorities and specialized agencies.

The sturgeon farming model of Luc and Thanh’s family demonstrates that with the right approach, mountain residents can take the initiative to develop their economy, improve their lives, and contribute to sustainable poverty reduction.

“We are still learning every day,” Luc said. “Our next goal is to build a distinct brand for Quan Son sturgeon, combining it with experiential tourism. This way, farmers will not only sell fish but also share the story behind it,” she added.