Vietnam is one of the most productive aquaculture countries in the world, with 80% of its fish raised in the Mekong Delta. The most cultured fish, Pangasius, is mainly exported, while Tilapia, which is often cultured in close proximity to Pangasius, is important for local consumption. Little is known about the frequency or factors contributing to mortality events in Tilapia in the Mekong Delta.This project’s aim is to identify future research opportunities in support of improving and enhancing sustainable aquaculture for small producers in rural Vietnam through disease management.

This project will build collaboration with local researchers and farmers, and provide information about the Tilapia cage culture in the Mekong Delta while becoming familiar with local diagnostic capacities.

The primary objective of this study is to describe and quantify mortality patterns in red tilapia in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam. Secondary objectives include: 1) examination of basic production variables for potential associations with mortality; 2) provision of descriptive statistics on Tilapia aquaculture in the Mekong Delta for use by local research organizations; and, 3) determination of the occurrence of the most common pathogens that can cause mortality.