As 90 percent of marine resources in the sea of Myeik archipelago is depleting in Taninthayi Region, prawn farming is being extended, said entrepreneurs.

Local businesspeople have to pay greater attention to farming so that their businesses will not stop operation due to marine resource shortages caused by overfishing in the sea.

The extended farming plan comes as seawater prawn faming is more successful on the islands.

"We are losing about 90 percent of marine resources in the sea. So we established prawn farming. If fish and prawn catching no longer exists in the sea, people and staff from this marine industry will get into trouble. We do this mainly to prevent those businesses from ceasing operation, to improve State revenue and to ensure regional development. Our company has about 360 staff, 70 percent of whom are from Kyunsu Township. We are doing prawn farming in vacant lands and salt fields. There is little land that is being depleted. But we do crop-substitute cultivation. Last week, we planted about 80,000 trees. Currently, we are planning to plant over 100,000 saplings in Kyagyiaw," said Kyaw Lin, manager of Pyi Phyo Tun Seawater Fish Farming Company.

In breeding seawater prawns, they can be caught 90 days after being farmed. We can start catching if prawns are 45 or 50 in size. A farm can produce 35 tons of prawn. We have to rely on climate. In the rainy season, saltiness rate decreases so we have to put medications. Feed depends on the size of a prawn," said prawn farming expert Wai Phyo Lwin.