Fish in the Lam River continue to die unusually, resulting in a loss of over 2.7 tons.
Nearly two months after the unusual mass fish deaths occurred on the Lam River, the situation has not yet ended. According to the latest report from the People's Committee of Tam Quang commune (Nghe An province), the total amount of dead fish has reached 2.7 tons, while the cause remains undetermined.
Fish deaths continue to occur in the reservoir of the hydroelectric power plant.
On August 3rd, Ms. Kha Thi Hien, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Tam Quang commune (formerly Tuong Duong district), stated that in recent days, the unusual death of fish in the Lam River has recurred, causing heavy losses for many households raising fish in cages.
The fish kill phenomenon in Tam Quang commune began in late May 2026 and has continued to this day, mainly affecting households raising fish in cages. The most affected species are grass carp, but some other species are also involved.
Dead fish have been reported in many areas. Through three rounds of surveys, the local authorities recorded a total of 2,718 kg of dead fish, mainly those raised in the Khe Bo hydroelectric reservoir.
Specifically, during the inspection on June 21st, 35 households suffered losses totaling 1,882 kg of dead fish. By mid-July, this phenomenon recurred in 11 households, with many experiencing a second loss totaling 221 kg. During the review on July 26th and 27th, an additional 15 fish farming households reported a further 615 kg of dead fish.
According to the People's Committee of Tam Quang commune, although the fish kill phenomenon has been inspected and samples taken for testing by specialized agencies of the province, the cause has not yet been determined.
Immediately after discovering the dead fish, the People's Committee of the commune coordinated with the Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine of Nghe An province to inspect the scene, guide people to collect and dispose of the dead fish according to regulations, and at the same time take samples to send to the Central Veterinary Diagnostic and Testing Center I for analysis.
Test results on fish samples from two households did not detect the SVCV RNA virus. However, experts believe that this result only rules out a specific causative agent and is not sufficient to conclude the cause of the mass fish deaths.
The cause needs to be clarified soon.
Given the prolonged situation, the People's Committee of Tam Quang commune has requested the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Nghe An province and other specialized units to continue on-site inspections, collect more fish and water samples, and analyze environmental indicators in order to quickly determine the cause.
Local authorities also requested that specialized agencies guide people on measures to manage the aquaculture environment and prevent further damage; and at the same time, consider supporting people in restoring production if they meet the eligibility criteria.
Following a report from the Tam Quang Commune People's Committee, on August 1st, the monitoring team from the Department of Agriculture and Environment once again visited the area to conduct on-site inspections and collect samples for testing. At the scene, the team observed unusual symptoms in the fish, such as sluggish swimming, scale shedding, ulcers appearing at the sites of scale shedding, sunken eyes, loss of appetite, weakness, and death.
After conducting on-site inspections at fish cage farming areas and collecting samples for testing, the working group held a meeting with the leaders of Tam Quang commune to assess the situation and provide initial recommendations to fish farmers. During the meeting, the leaders of Tam Quang commune also requested that provincial departments and agencies promptly implement solutions to support people in overcoming losses, and provide guidance on disease prevention, control, and treatment for fish.
Previously,Newspapers and radio and television in Nghe An have repeatedly reported on this issue.The unusual death of farmed fish in the Lam River in the Tam Quang and Tam Thai communes has caused significant losses for local residents. Following reports, the Department of Agriculture and Environment established a task force to inspect the site and collect samples for verification. However, to date, scattered fish deaths continue to occur in some farming households, causing continued concern among residents who are hoping for an official conclusion on the cause so that remedial measures can be taken.
