Pieces of styrofoam buoys have appeared on Lan Ha Bay since early this month in addition to rubbish that has also been discharged into the bay, worsening the pollution.
The area which is adjacent to Ha Long Bay has been the hardest hit.
Pieces of styrofoam buoys have worsened Lan Ha Bay's pollution
The bay has also recently seen red-orange water areas. A person who specialises in raising groupers in Cat Ba Town said that he witnessed the phenomenon on March 23-24.
According to some local fishermen, this would be the phenomenon of red tide, caused by the simultaneous blooming of marine algae, which occasionally appears in the waters of Cat Ba. Red tides can threaten fish.
A representative from the Cat Ba Bay management board said that since early March, the pollution has had a bad impact on tourists.
The board is focusing on rubbish collection.
Authorities in Quang Ninh Province have instructed the removal of nearly one million styrofoam buoys used at fish farms in the Van Don Island District in order to have them replaced with environmentally-friendly alternatives. This has been cited as one of the reasons for pieces of styrofoam buoys to drift to Cat Ba Island.