In July, two central provinces Thừa Thiên Huế and Đà Nẵng see mass fish deaths again.
On the Bồ river, Huế provinces, cage fishing farmers on the Bồ River are exhausted due to unexplained mass fish death that has caused great economic losses. Local residents said that in the early July, silver carp and carp – each size 5-9 kg which are raised for 9-10 months – all died.
Nguyễn Thị Ny, a farmer in Hương Xuân Ward, Hương Trà Town, said during her five years of caged fish farming, this has been the first time her family suffered huge losses, two cages with 300 fish all died out. Ny had to sell all the dead fish at low price VNĐ3,000 – 5,000 (US$0.13 – 0.22) per kilo, while the normal price could easily fetch VNĐ65,000 – 90,000 (U$2.9 – 3.9).
Ngô Quang Thảo, Chairman of Hương Xuân Ward People’s Committee, said the ward is still monitoring the situation, and by latest data, of 350 fish cages totaling 5 tonnes have died.“According to some local residents, the mass fish death is due to lack of oxygen in the waters”. Thảo added. The stagnant water is blamed on hydropower plants at the upstream area not releasing its water. Previously, also on the Bồ River, a mass fish death occurred in April.
Meanwhile, around 60 tonnes of fish were found dead on floating farms in a section of the Cổ Cò river in Đà Nẵng’s Ngũ Hành Sơn District on 18th July. The authorities have mobilized trucks to remove and bury the dead fish, District Deputy Chairman Huỳnh Cự said. Tests will be carried out and results released soon, he added. Last year, experts have warned that almost all lakes in the city are contaminated with toxic metals and other dangerous substances contained in wastewater. The city has invested VNĐ15 billion (over US$700,000) in wastewater treatment, but that is still a modest amount compared to what is needed.
VFM
