Tons of fish die unusually in the Lam River.
In recent days, tons of fish raised by local people on the Lam River in the mountainous communes of Nghe An province have suddenly died, leaving many households penniless. Not only farmed fish, but many wild fish species have also died unusually, floating dead on the river.
On July 2nd, a leader of the People's Committee of Tam Thai commune (Nghe An province) stated that the locality had just submitted a report on the fish deaths and requested assistance from the Department of Agriculture and Environment in collecting samples for testing, determining the cause, and providing guidance on appropriate handling measures.
According to reports, 35 fish cages belonging to local residents on the Lam River have experienced unusual fish deaths, peaking from June 30th to the present. According to local statistics, nearly 1 ton of fish have been reported dead so far.
According to the commune leaders, during the period of the fish kill, the water quality of the Lam River in this area showed unusual changes. Observations revealed the water to be dark brown with a lot of suspended sediment. Inspection of the affected cages did not yet show typical clinical signs of infectious disease such as hemorrhages on the body and fins; changes in body color; noticeable external lesions; or other characteristic abnormalities. The number of dead fish tended to increase over time. Many households had to regularly collect dead fish to limit the risk of environmental pollution in the cage farming area.
Mr. Vong Van Man (40 years old) from Tan Hop village, Tam Thai commune, said that starting from the evening of June 30th, the fish began to show signs of lethargy, loss of appetite, surfacing, and oxygen deficiency. He had raised this batch of fish for nearly 10 months, each weighing over 2 kg, and was ready for sale. "In just one night, by the morning of July 1st, almost all of them died one by one, resulting in a loss of over 240 kg of fish. Currently, there are only about 10 fish left in the cage, and I don't know if they will survive," Mr. Man said.
In a similar situation, Mr. Luong Van Ha (50 years old) from Canh Trap village, Tam Thai commune, said that for the past two days he has been continuously pumping water into his three fish cages to create oxygen, hoping to save the remaining carp. Mr. Ha is one of the households considered "skilled" by the local authorities in cage fish farming. However, for the past two days, he has also been helplessly watching his fish die one after another, floating belly-up.
"In my family alone, we lost about 150 kg of fish in the first two days of July. We just hope that the relevant authorities can help clarify the cause and guide people on how to prevent it in a timely manner," Mr. Ha shared.
In Tam Quang commune, dozens of households raising fish in cages on the Lam River have been facing hardship for the past month due to unusual fish deaths. According to Ms. Kha Thi Hien, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Tam Quang commune, the unusual fish deaths began around the beginning of June and have been increasing in recent days. According to the commune's statistics, in just the past 20 days, at least 35 households raising fish in cages on the Lam River have experienced fish deaths, causing losses of nearly 2 tons, mainly carp and catfish. The commune has had to send officials to the households to guide people in monitoring the water environment, collecting and disposing of dead fish according to regulations, and limiting the stocking of new fish fry.
Not only are farmed fish dying in cages, but many wild fish species in the Lam River are also experiencing this situation.
On July 2nd, following officials from Tam Thai commune on a boat trip along the Lam River, reporters observed dead fish floating belly-up on the water's surface. Along both banks, every few meters, dead fish could be found washed ashore. Among them were carp and tilapia weighing nearly 10 kg, as well as other species like minnows, catfish, and other types of fish. Notably, there were also dead grouper fish weighing around 8 kg floating on the river. Grouper, also known as green carp, is a valuable species rarely caught by fishermen, with market prices sometimes reaching 300,000 VND per kilogram.
"Almost every type of fish was found dead floating on the surface, including catfish, which are known to feed only at the bottom of the river, and minnows, which feed near the surface, were also found dead. It's very strange," said Mr. Luong Van Ha.
According to the leaders of Tam Quang commune People's Committee, the locality has also submitted a report and requested assistance from specialized agencies to collect samples for testing to determine the cause of the fish deaths.
Also upstream on the Lam River, on May 4, 2026, approximately 8.6 tons of grass carp, black carp, catfish, and other fish raised in 19 cages in Anh Son commune died, causing hundreds of millions of dong in losses to 13 households. In addition to farmed fish, many wild fish species in the Lam River, such as carp, eels, catfish, and other species, also died and floated on the river.
The Nghe An Fisheries and Aquaculture Inspection Department has taken samples for testing and concluded that the fish died due to poor environmental quality (sudden lack of dissolved oxygen in the water or the influence of toxic gases...). This is an incident caused by fluctuations in the water environment leading to a sudden decline in water quality, with a wide area of impact, and is not a typical disease outbreak.
According to this unit, this is an unusual phenomenon occurring in an area of the river with a strong current and rapid development; currently, there are no more fish being raised in cages, making it difficult to determine the specific cause. Therefore, this unit has sent a document requesting the Department of Agriculture and Environment to direct specialized agencies to inspect and verify the source of emissions causing the mass fish deaths in Anh Son commune; and to recommend disciplinary action (if any) against the source of pollution.
