Completely resolve environmental pollution at Lach Van fishing port

(Baonghean)Pollution at Lach Van Fishing Port, Dien Ngoc Commune, Dien Chau District has existed for a long time, affecting the living environment of thousands of households. Although there have been measures to overcome it, environmental pollution is still a hot issue at this fishing port.

Lach Van fishing port was built from the funding of the East Sea - Islands Program. The port is the landing place for more than 75% of the seafood output of Dien Chau district. The number of boats regularly entering and leaving the port is 500 with an output of 18,500 tons of seafood/year. Goods passing through the port on peak days are relatively large: 70 tons of seafood/day, 4 tons of ice/day, 80 pairs of 48CV trawlers/day... Therefore, the port has truly promoted its function of serving the seafood fishing industry in Dien Chau district.



Fishermen need more policies to support offshore fishing.

However, after many years of operation, the environmental pollution situation at Lach Van Port is extremely urgent. Dong Loc Hamlet, Dien Ngoc Commune has 382 households with more than 1,936 people, which is directly affected by the smell of seafood processing. On the afternoon of July 30, we went directly to Dong Loc Hamlet and clearly felt the strong stench in the air. Although the amount of waste on both sides of the creek has been collected and treated, the people of Dong Loc Hamlet still have opinions about the current state of the air being too smelly. Mr. Nguyen Trung Thanh - head of Dong Loc Hamlet said: The cause of environmental pollution at Lach Van Fishing Port comes from the seafood processing process of both businesses and people in Dong Loc Hamlet. Every time the south wind (sea wind) blows, the stench spreads a lot in the air.

Mr. Dau Xuan Thuy - Chairman of Dien Ngoc Commune People's Committee said: People have reported to the commune government about the burning smell in the air due to the fishmeal processing factory of Trung Trinh Company Limited located in the fishing port area, which is discharged through the chimney during the processing process. The commune has repeatedly requested competent authorities to monitor the pollution situation to have a solution, and during meetings with voters, they have also given opinions to the district People's Council delegates, but there have been no remedial measures yet, while according to information, the initial planning of the fishing port did not include a fishmeal processing factory located in the port area.

According to the original planning of Lach Van Fishing Port, the current location of the fishmeal processing factory of Trung Trinh Company Limited was a frozen processing workshop, but after purchasing seafood for a while, a fishmeal processing factory was built here. Mr. Nguyen Huu Tho - Deputy Director of Nghe An Fishing Port Management Board, Department of Agriculture and Rural Development said: If looking at the planning, there are still shortcomings and are not in accordance with the planning. However, the viewpoint of Nghe An Fishing Port Management Board on handling the problem is: If the monitoring results show that the enterprise violates environmental regulations, the enterprise must thoroughly handle the problem, but if the enterprise does not handle environmental issues, it must be relocated to ensure the environment. That means Trung Trinh Company Limited will continue to operate at the above location if it ensures that it does not cause pollution. In the near future, Lach Van Fishing Port will also be upgraded and its planning will be adjusted to suit the practical development process of a fishing port.

Sharing the same opinion with the leaders of Nghe An Fishing Port Management Board, Ms. Hoang Thi Huong - Vice Chairman of the District People's Committee said: The district has also received feedback from the people about the environmental pollution caused by the fishmeal processing factory of Trung Trinh enterprise. In the near future, the district will establish an interdisciplinary inspection team to determine the level of environmental pollution caused by the enterprise. After the results are available, if the enterprise can handle the pollution problem, it will stay to continue producing and purchasing products for fishermen. In the long term, the district and related sectors will discuss and select locations for seafood processing enterprises.

According to the report "Assessment of the current status of environmental pollution at Lach Van and Lach Quen fishing ports and proposed solutions" conducted by the FSPS II Nghe An Project Management Board (Fisheries Sector Support Program) in December 2011, the main causes of pollution at Lach Van fishing port are due to the current status of the fishing port infrastructure not being complete, synchronous, and not meeting the criteria set out in QCVN 02-12:2009/BNNPTNT - Fishing ports - Conditions for ensuring food hygiene and safety.

In addition, seafood processing facilities in the port area do not invest in wastewater and exhaust gas treatment systems, or have invested but operate ineffectively, so wastewater and exhaust gas discharged into the environment do not meet the permitted standards, causing environmental pollution in the port area and surrounding residential areas. Furthermore, residential areas around the fishing port do not have wastewater treatment systems. Low environmental protection awareness of people, boat owners and seafood processing facility owners is also the cause of environmental pollution in fishing ports. Therefore, upgrading and renovating fishing port infrastructure is very necessary. In addition, environmental protection awareness of businesses and people directly engaged in fishing activities at Lach Van Fishing Port is a prerequisite to resolve the above situation.

Thanh Duy