The mass fish deaths were found in Plei Krong Hydropower Reservoir in Dak Ha District’s Dak Mar Commune these days. To date, around 60 tonnes of fish from 28 cages on the lake died. Most of the dead fish are grass carp and red snapper.
Around 60 tonnes of fish found dead on Plei Krong reservoir
The provincial people’s committee have urged the local Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Department of Natural Resources and Environment to set up an inspection team.
Le Kha Tuyen in Dak Ha town said he had lost 20 tonnes of fish, valued at around VND800 million (USD36,360).
He had to hire 30 people to gather the dead fish for burial.
Another local resident Tran Van Tuan is also in the same situation with Tuyen, his family had raised fish on the lake for many years, but this was the first time such an incident had happened. The fish deaths have been reported on the lake since the evening of July 10.
"My family has borrowed more than VND600 million (USD27,270) from banks. But now how can we pay the loan after more than 20 tonnes of our fish have died,” he said.
Local authorities are investigating the cause of the fish death
Pham Van Tru, Chairman of Dak Mar Commune, said that around 10 households were raising fish on the lake.
Some local people blamed the nearby Central Highlands Cassava Flour Processing Company’s waste discharge into the reservoir combined with the reservoir’s low water level.
They added that the company’s waste discharge drain is just some 500 metres from the fish breeding area.
Ta Van Luan, director of Ia Ly Hydropower Plant, claimed that the reservoir’s water discharge did not affect the fish which are raised at the upper reaches of the lake.
Local authorities have taken water and fish samples for testing.
