The mass fish deaths on the Cai Cui and Ben Ba canals in Can Tho (Photo by Nhat Linh)
The fish deaths were reported along the Cai Cui Canal in Chau Thanh Commune and the Ben Ba Canal in Hung Phu Ward from the night of October 30 to the morning of October 31. Water in both areas turned murky yellow and emitted a strong odour, marking the first mass fish die-off recorded there.
In Phu Nhon Hamlet, farmer Bui Van Vu said around 10 tonnes of fish worth VND 350 million (approximately USD 14,800) had died. On the Cai Cui Canal alone, two households keep six cages of red tilapia, with four cages nearing harvest hit hardest.
The mass fish deaths cause heavy losses for local farmers (Photo by Nhat Linh)
Nguyen Van O, who had farmed red tilapia for seven months on the Ben Ba Canal, said his family suffered losses of around VND 550 million (approximately USD 20,900) after about 20 cages died. Red tilapia sell for VND 28,000 to 30,000 per kilogramme.
Tran Hoang Dung, head of the Can Tho Fisheries Sub-Department, said water and fish samples had been collected with environmental and veterinary agencies to determine the cause.
Preliminary findings suggest water pollution or sudden changes in water quality following prolonged heavy rain. Local authorities are helping farmers collect dead fish to prevent further contamination.
