On August 15, a group of German tourists on a dive organised by Vietnam Underneath in Nha Trang spotted large numbers of dead fish on the seabed off Hon Bac, many with ruptured bellies and missing eyes, some only a few centimetres long. Several hard coral blocks in the area were also found broken.
According to Nguyen Quang Huy, a trainer with the Professional Association of Diving Instructors, this may be the result of local fishermen using explosives to harvest seafood in midwater and near the seabed.
A large number of dead fish is found on the seabed off Hon Bac area in Khanh Hoa Province on August 15. (Photo by Quang Huy)
Huy warned that using explosives to catch seafood would deplete resources and severely damage the marine ecosystem, especially coral reefs on the seabed. This also poses serious risks to the fishermen themselves.
He urged strict punishment for such destructive fishing practices.
Khanh Hoa’s Department of Agriculture and Environment has ordered the Fisheries and Marine Resources Division to work with border guards and Dong Ninh Hoa authorities to investigate the cause of the incident.