Lobster farmers in Xuan Thinh commune, Song Cau town (Phu Yen) are crying because lobsters and fishes suddenly died, causing heavy damage.
Lobster farmers in Xuan Thinh commune, Song Cau town (Phu Yen) picked up dead lobsters. Image: AN.
The People’s Committee of Song Cau town has just issued an urgent document on the handling of dead lobsters and fishes in the farming areas of Xuan Thinh commune.
Accordingly, the Town People’s Committee requested Xuan Thinh commune to compile statistics on the number of people’s aquaculture losses and quickly report to the Town through the Economic Department. At the same time, notify and instruct farmers not to leave aquatic carcasses in the farming area, and to promptly harvest lobsters and marine fish to harvest size.
Previously, on May 19, leaders of the Town People’s Committee, Economic Department and Xuan Thinh Commune People’s Committee inspected the field in the cage aquaculture area of Xuan Thinh commune and found that many lobsters and fishes died. It is estimated that the initial cause of the above situation is due to hot weather combined with thunderstorms in recent days, leading to a change in the water environment.
According to preliminary statistics of the People’s Committee of Xuan Thinh commune, as of 13h p.m. on May 20, more than 61 tons of blue lobster and 29.5 tons of marine fish died from 160 farming households in the villages of Vinh Hoa and Phu Duong.
In addition to lobsters, farmed marine fish also died. Image: AN.
According to farmers, the death of farmed aquatic products has been occurring for the past 3 days, with no signs of slowing down. Many households cried because lobsters and fish died. Currently, green lobsters with sizes ranging from 2 – 3 per kg have just died and people sell them for 300 – 400 thousand VND per kg, only 1/3 of the price of live shrimp. Small dead lobsters are sold for 20 – 50 thousand VND per kg. For fish such as grouper, cobia, bird and rabbitfish that have just died, people pick them up and sell them for 20 – 40 thousand VND per kg.
Faced with the above situation, to minimize damage to aquaculture products, the People’s Committee of Song Cau Town requires the People’s Committees of communes and wards with aquaculture areas to regularly monitor weather reports and notify environmental monitoring by specialized agencies to farmers for timely response.
At the same time, appoint officers and civil servants in charge of fisheries or veterinary medicine to closely monitor farming areas and promptly guide farming facilities to properly implement technical solutions as well as measures to prevent and overcome damage caused by Unusual weather causes to stabilize production.
In addition, propagate and advise farmers to collect waste from farming activities and protect the environment in farming areas; Stock seeds at the specified density, avoid high density and take proper care techniques.
Song Cau town requested Xuan Thinh commune to quickly inventory the damage of dead lobsters and fish. Image: AN.
The Town’s Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Station inspects and localizes areas where lobsters and farmed fish have died to provide guidance on handling; Take samples to check the cause of lobster and farmed fish dying to get specific instructions.
Along with that, regularly monitor and inspect farming areas to detect environmental incidents and diseases on aquatic animals in order to promptly handle and advise the Town People’s Committee and the Provincial Department of Livestock and Veterinary Medicine to prevent damage occurs to farmers.
Song Cau Town People’s Committee also requested the Economic Department to monitor environmental monitoring information and guide aquaculture periodically; Summarize the damage situation and advise the Town People’s Committee to report and make recommendations to the province and Town Party Committee for direction.
Farmers sell dead fish at low prices to salvage losses. Image: Triệu Xuân.
On the morning of May 20, Mr. Le Tan Ho, Standing Vice Chairman of the People’s Committee of Phu Yen province, and a number of specialized agencies went to damaged lobster farming areas in Song Cau town to direct the recovery and response plan.
Here, the Vice Chairman of Phu Yen Provincial People’s Committee requested the fisheries industry and Song Cau Town People’s Committee to urgently find the cause of mass deaths of lobsters and fish. At the same time, farmers are advised to harvest lobsters and farmed fish that have reached harvest time to reduce losses. For People’s Committees of communes and wards with aquaculture areas, it is required to continue implementing approved disease prevention plans in aquaculture, as well as strengthen aquaculture management in weather conditions. heat, storms, drought, saltwater intrusion, etc.
Phu Yen Fisheries Department determined that the initial cause of the shrimp and fish deaths was due to hot weather combined with thunderstorms, leading to a change in the water environment.