Nghe An stream allows fishing only with community consent

A protected mountain stream in Nghe An allows fishing only during festivals or when the local community agrees, helping preserve natural fish stocks while maintaining a traditional cultural event.

A section of Khe Chon stream in Vang Lin Village, Yen Hoa Commune, Nghe An Province recently hosted a fish-catching event during the annual Ta Den temple festival, attracting many residents and visitors.

Dozens of villagers gathered along the roughly 1km stretch of stream. When the signal was given, they waded into the water, using nets and cast nets to catch fish as crowds of locals and tourists cheered from the banks.

After the activity, participants gathered to enjoy dishes prepared from the freshly caught fish beside the stream.

Dau Duc Truyen, chairman of the Yen Hoa Commune People’s Committee, said fishing in the Khe Chon stream has been regulated by the Vang Lin community since 2021 in order to protect natural fish populations. Under the rules, residents are allowed to organise fishing only during the annual Ta Den temple festival.

Similar community conservation measures have also been introduced in nearby villages including Tat, Luom, Trung Thang and Xop Khau within Yen Hoa Commune since 2022.

Fishing is carried out in a controlled way using traditional methods such as cast nets, fishing nets and bamboo traps, allowing residents to maintain livelihoods while ensuring fish populations can continue to reproduce and grow. The use of electric shock devices for fishing is strictly prohibited and subject to penalties.

During the festival in Vang Lin, the village auctions the right to fish in the protected section of the stream for about VND 12 million (about USD 470), Truyen said.

Fish caught in the village are typically sold for around VND 250,000 to VND 260,000 (about USD 9.8 to USD 10.2) per kilogramme, while traders can resell them in the market for about VND 300,000 to VND 350,000 (about USD 11.8 to USD 13.7) per kilogramme.