(AG Provincial E-Portal) - For over 10 years, An Giang province has continuously released fish into rivers, canals, and lagoons to regenerate natural aquatic resources that are increasingly depleted. This activity has been supported by many individuals and organizations with the desire to preserve rare native fish species and fish species of high economic value.
An Giang has two species of fish, black fish and white fish. White fish are available all year round, of which Linh fish accounts for more than 70% of the total catch. Fishing has helped thousands of people have a stable income, but later on, life became more precarious when natural aquatic resources decreased seriously. According to the Sub-Department of Fisheries of An Giang province, the output of natural aquatic products of the province has gradually decreased each year, specifically, in 2001 it was more than 96 thousand tons, but by 2011 it was only more than 41 thousand tons, and in 2021 it remained only 14.8 thousand tons.
According to the provincial Sub-Department of Fisheries, the province's fisheries are small-scale and rudimentary, but this is one of the reasons for the rapid decline of shrimp and fish; fishermen use many nets with small mesh sizes or electric pulses combined with fishing gear; fishing during the fish spawning season, catching many small fish... Therefore, the provincial Sub-Department of Fisheries is planning to reorganize inland fishing activities reasonably, in accordance with natural conditions, advantages of aquatic resources, and livelihood characteristics of the local community; moving towards completely eliminating destructive forms and means such as using electric pulses, toxic chemicals...; building and organizing fishing models in the form of co-management, combining protection and development of fish resources; selecting and restoring traditional fishing occupations and fishing gears that are effective, environmentally friendly to the aquatic ecosystem, and not destructive...
Recently, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of the province has coordinated with the People's Committee of Tinh Bien town and the People's Committee of An Phu district to release thousands of rare fish such as giant barb, striped loach, red-eyed carp, basa fish... into Binh Thien lagoon and Tra Su canal. It is expected that by the end of 2024, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of An Giang will coordinate with the Departments of Agriculture and Rural Development of Dong Thap province and Can Tho city to release fish to restore regional aquatic resources in Dong Thap province.
Since 2012, An Giang has annually organized the release of fish to regenerate aquatic resources into natural waters, thereby greatly improving the awareness of the community towards the work of protection and development. Releasing fish to regenerate aquatic resources is a meaningful and highly humane activity aimed at raising awareness and responsibility of the people in protecting and regenerating aquatic resources, protecting the environment and biodiversity. Since 2012, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has developed a plan, proposed approval to coordinate the release of fish to regenerate natural aquatic resources and has received high support from the Provincial People's Committee for this policy from socialized funding sources.
Since then, every year, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of the province has coordinated with An Giang Fisheries Association (AFA) and districts, towns and cities to organize fish release activities to restore aquatic resources at the provincial level from the mobilization of organizations and individuals, and benefactors inside and outside the province. In addition, fish release activities have also taken place by the People's Committees of districts, towns and cities, the Provincial Representative Board of Hoa Hao Buddhism, Buddhists and local people,...
In particular, in 2022, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of the province advised the Provincial People's Committee to coordinate with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to successfully organize a fish release ceremony to restore aquatic resources at the regional level, at the junction of 3 provinces, city of An Giang - Dong Thap - Can Tho, and at the same time coordinate to participate in releasing fish to restore aquatic resources between An Giang - Can Tho - Dong Thap provinces on Hau River in 2023 in Can Tho city.
Up to now, 23 fish releases have been coordinated and organized to restore aquatic resources as follows: 2 regional releases, 3 provincial releases, 1 release in coordination with the Sub-Department of Fisheries and 17 district releases. The total amount of fish released to restore aquatic resources (approximately converted) is 5,445,118 fingerlings, equivalent to 94,080 kg of fingerlings of various types. The fingerlings released to restore aquatic resources are indigenous, precious, rare, and economically valuable species, including: basa, giant goby, red-eye-carp, cyprinid, soldier river barb, loach fish, black sharkminnow, tinfoil barb, giant barb, pangasius conchophilus, bagridae, osteochilus melanopleura, silver carp, barb, clown featherback, pangasianodon gigas, rohu, pangasius sanitwongsei, spot pangasius, ... and a number of other indigenous species.
To protect the fish after release, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of the province has directed specialized agencies to synchronously implement solutions such as disseminating and propagating the purpose and meaning of releasing fish to regenerate aquatic resources; propagating and mobilizing fishermen not to catch fish before, during and after releasing fish; providing guidance on selecting fish to release, technical procedures for releasing fish; coordinating patrols, checking and protecting the fish before, during and after releasing fish, etc.
Previously, the fisheries sector proposed the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to plan 3 areas including Vam Nao River, Hau River and Phu Hoi Commune, An Phu District and one area banned from fishing for a limited period of time in Binh Thien lagoon and neighboring areas. The conservation of natural fish and shrimp is necessary because without them, An Giang rivers in general and the Western provinces in particular will lose their biodiversity, fishermen will become unemployed, and related craft villages will no longer exist. And in the harsh climate change conditions, shrimp and fish are heavily affected, so if there is no protection method, losing native fish species of the river in the future is inevitable. This requires the joint efforts of the people, especially fishermen who shall be more aware of fishing, not using illegal fishing tools such as electric rakes and electric pulses that are highly harmful to shrimp and fish.
News by Phuong Nam
Translation by Thi Huynh
