Deputy Prime Minister Trịnh Đình Dũng inspects fish farms Kỳ Anh Commune of central Hà Tĩnh Province. — Photo nld.vn

HÀ TĨNH – Representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development yesterday told Deputy Prime Minister Trịnh Đình Dũng that in three to five days, they would have an answer to the massive death of fish along coastal provinces in the past two weeks.

The commitment was made during a working session between Deputy Prime Minister Trịnh Đình Dũng as he inspected several fish farms in Kỳ Anh Commune of central Hà Tĩnh Province.

During the inspection, Dũng asked the four provinces of Hà Tĩnh, Quảng Bình, Quảng Trị and Thừa Thiên–Huế to make accurate calculations of the damage and loss caused by the massive fish death event so that adequate support could be given to local residents.

He also asked the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) to inspect the waste water treatment systems of large firms and production units.

Over the past two weeks, it is estimated that some 15 tonnes of natural fish and 2 tonnes of farmed fish have died in Hà Tĩnh Province. Meanwhile in Thừa Thiên–Huế Province, some 30 tonnes of natural fish died and were washed up on beaches.

Yesterday morning, a dead whale was found on a beach in central Thừa Thiên-Huế Province. 

All along the coast of Thừa Thiên-Huế dead fish were found and many fish farms along the coast that use ocean water for aquaculture in Lăng Cô Bay have also been effected.  

Nguyễn Hùynh Kỳ, who runs a fish farm in Lăng Cô Town, told a Việt Nam News reporter that two thirds of his fish had died without any symptoms of disease. He suspects that the ocean water was somehow poisoned.

Meanwhile, fishermen along coast of Phú Vang and Quảng Điền said they had returned to shore with empty nets from recent fishing trips in local waters.

Officials from the ministries of the environment, agriculture and public security have arrived at the affected areas to investigate the incident. -- VNS