Serious pollution at the largest fishing ports in Nghe An
(Baonghean.vn) - Lach Quen and Lach Van are two fishing ports that are also shelters and anchorages for boats, among the largest in Nghe An. However, over the past years, the environmental pollution at these two fishing ports has been as "famous" as the output of fishing boats.
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| Lach Quen Port is the last section of Hau River, about 7km long, with about 1,000 offshore fishing boats coming and going every day. Photo: PV |
In Tien Thuy commune, Quynh Luu district, Luc Sy Seafood Company Limited is one of the "famous" private enterprises in the field of seafood processing. This company is "favored" by the State to lease land with an area of nearly 2000m2.2to build a new facility right next to Hau River and Lach Quen Fishing Port, very convenient for purchasing, processing and transporting goods. In October 2017, Luc Sy Seafood Company Limited was granted a license by the Department of Natural Resources and Environment to discharge waste into water sources.
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| One of many manholes that collect wastewater into underground tanks and then discharge it into Lach Quen of Luc Sy Seafood Company Limited. Photo: PV |
However, Luc Sy Seafood Company Limited continuously violated the law on environmental protection and was inspected and warned by local authorities. Specifically, on May 17, 2018, the Inspection Team of Tien Thuy Commune People's Committee inspected the legal documents and production facilities of Luc Sy Seafood Company Limited. Regarding the documents, after inspection, they were complete, including the license to discharge wastewater into water sources No. 53/GP-STNMT.HBHĐ of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment dated October 9, 2017.
However, at this company's production facility, there is no wastewater treatment system that meets regulations. The wastewater discharge system only includes auxiliary manholes that hold water and all of it flows into a large underground tank and then discharges directly into the Hau River. Last October, the People's Committee of Tien Thuy commune inspected environmental protection work in the area and continued to discover that Luc Sy Seafood Company Ltd., during the production process, discharged fish washing water into the street (in Duc Xuan village), causing environmental pollution. On October 11, 2018, the People's Committee of Tien Thuy commune worked with the company's representative, assigning responsibility to remedy this situation and implement environmental protection measures.
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| The wastewater pipeline runs underground across the road and discharges into Lach Quen of Luc Sy Seafood Company Limited. Photo: PV |
Checking the content of License No. 53/GP-STNMT.HBHĐ shows that the Department of Natural Resources and Environment granted the license to discharge wastewater into water sources to Luc Sy Seafood Company Limited based on the Waste Discharge Project and Environmental Protection Plan of this company that have been approved by the competent authority. In License No. 53, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment requires Luc Sy Seafood Company Limited to "complete the construction of a wastewater treatment system in accordance with the procedures stated in the Waste Discharge Project and Environmental Protection Plan approved by the competent authority before discharging wastewater into water sources".
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| Close-up of the discharge pipe into Lach Quen of Luc Sy Seafood Company Limited. Photo: PV |
However, on October 24, together with the environmental staff of Tien Thuy commune, the actual production facility of Luc Sy Seafood Company Limited found that the wastewater treatment facilities of this company had not changed. The production facility of this company still collects wastewater during the production and processing process into tanks, then discharges it directly into the Hau River through a fairly large plastic pipe. In addition, through observation, the surface of the traffic road in front of the production facility is covered with thick fish scales. This is a sign that during the production process, the company's workers still pour fish washing water onto the road. According to the environmental staff of Tien Thuy commune, up to now, Luc Sy Seafood Company Limited has not complied with the contents stated in License No. 53 and the request of the commune government.
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| A resident uses a hose to push mud down to Lach Quen port. Photo: PV |
Reality also shows that in the area around Lach Quen port for many years now, there have been many private establishments purchasing and processing seafood and wastewater is "dumped" directly into the creek. Meanwhile, with a density of about 1,000 offshore fishing boats from Tien Thuy, Quynh Long, Quynh Nghia, An Hoa (Quynh Luu) communes entering and leaving, anchoring, the environmental pressure on Lach Quen is very large. Right at the fishing port, at the time we were there (October 24), many other people were still "carelessly" using water pumps to push mud and fish carcasses into the creek.
Talking to reporters, a representative of the Lach Quen Port Management Board said that there are some shortcomings in the collection and treatment of waste in the area. In addition to solid waste collected by specialized units, wastewater still has to be discharged directly into Lach Quen - Hau River. There has been a wastewater collection project for the Lach Quen port area with an investment of 117 billion VND approved but it cannot be implemented due to lack of funding. In addition, the environmental pressure of the estuary also comes from the awareness of people and boat owners and this reality will exist for many years.
People are calm
| See the environmental pollution situation at Lach Van port |
The issue of people's awareness of environmental protection seems to be an "eternal" issue. And what is more dangerous is that this habit of people also comes from the fact that no agency monitors, manages and reminds people of littering behavior that pollutes the environment.
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| Lach Van fishing port is located in Dien Ngoc commune (Dien Chau). This place mainly gathers offshore fishing boats. Photo: PV |
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| A resident calmly dumps trash into Lach Van in front of the camera. Photo: PV |
Arriving at Lach Van port, Dien Ngoc commune (Dien Chau), we once again witnessed people carrying buckets of household waste and dumping it into the creek. They did this in the most calm way right in front of the reporter's camera lens. When asked about a woman dumping waste into the creek, she said that everyone here does it so "it's okay".
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| The ship's side is full of trash in Lach Van. Photo: PV |
Lach Van is also one of the major fishing ports and boat anchorages in Nghe An. At the time we were there, there were hundreds of boats anchored there and around the hulls were all kinds of floating rubbish. Looking down at the bottom of the water, there were also thick seashells, carcasses and plastic bags tightly tied with all kinds of household rubbish.
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| A seafood processing facility right next to the creek, waste is dumped into Lach Van. Photo: PV |
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| Seafood processing activities are one of the causes of environmental pollution at fishing ports and estuaries. Photo: PV |
Like other fishing ports and estuaries, Lach Van has dozens of seafood purchasing and processing facilities located close to the water's edge. All waste from these activities is discharged into the estuary. This reality has turned Lach Van into a black spot causing environmental pollution for many years. Meanwhile, the Port Management Board is requesting funding for a waste treatment project at Lach Van.
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| Garbage flooded Lach Van river. Photo: PV |
The shortcomings and problems of environmental pollution at Lach Quen and Lach Van ports are also the common situation of fishing ports in Nghe An. In order to sustainably develop the marine economy and improve people's lives, it is time for authorities at all levels and functional agencies to strengthen inspection and supervision of waste discharge behavior, and at the same time have solutions to protect the environment, creating favorable corridors for exploitation, fishing and seafood processing activities to better meet practical requirements.
On October 22, 2018, the Party Central Committee issued Resolution No. 36-NQ/TW on the Strategy for sustainable development of Vietnam's marine economy to 2030, with a vision to 2045. One of the goals that Resolution No. 26-NQ/TW aims for is to turn our country into a strong maritime nation with criteria for sustainable development of the marine economy; forming a marine ecological culture; proactively adapting to climate change, preventing pollution and degradation of the marine environment... What has been happening at Lach Quen and Lach Van fishing ports also poses a big problem for authorities at all levels and functional agencies....
