Pollution in the Dong Nai river has killed 36 tons of fishes in Thong Nhat Ward
of southern Bien Hoa city, the farmers association said in a report sent to
authorities Monday.

The association said 33 families practicing fish cage
culture had claimed to have lost hundreds of millions of dongs due to the death
of their mature freshwater fish, including carp and hemibagrus.

Hoang Van Thong, head of the province’s Environmental
Protection Department, said the fishes were killed by the increasing pollution
in the Dong Nai River.

Thong added that a large amount of untreated wastewater from
households and enterprises in the city was discharged into the river.

In addition, the number of fish cages in the region has
increased up to 800, much higher than the maximum permissible number of 200.
The rapid increase has resulted in a reduction of oxygen concentration in the
water.

The local authorities have tried to reduce the number of
fish cages by way of voluntary relocation. The deadline for the relocation is
end of May.

A similar event involving the death of a massive number of
fishes happened in June 2010. The cause was also attributed to water pollution.

Source: TBKTSG/Tuoi
Tre