November 1, 2024

Ha Long Bay, Vietnam ecosystem threatened by Typhoon Yagi's aquaculture debris

Ha Long Bay, Vietnam, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, faces an environmental crisis as large amounts of debris, including styrofoam and bamboo, from aquaculture farms destroyed by Typhoon Yagi now pollute its waters, VN Express reported.

The typhoon struck Quang Ninh province, which includes Ha Long Bay, on September 7, 2024, devastating aquaculture operations and leaving a significant environmental impact.

According to the Quang Yen Town People's Committee, Typhoon Yagi damaged 455 aquaculture facilities and over 1,300 hectares dedicated to aquaculture. Broken pieces of styrofoam from these facilities are challenging to collect, resulting in widespread pollution of the bay's water. The island of Hoang Tan, part of Ha Long Bay's buffer zone, has been particularly hard-hit. On the island, which is about 5 km from tourist areas, over 1,260 hectares of aquaculture sites were reported damaged, impacting more than 381 families.

Cai Dam Port, another area within Ha Long Bay, now contains millions of cubic meters of debris from the storm-ravaged aquaculture facilities, further endangering the bay's ecosystem. This trash build-up has intensified efforts to protect Ha Long Bay from pollution and other environmental threats.

In response to the crisis, Quang Ninh authorities began removing unauthorised aquaculture farms in mid-2023 and encouraged the replacement of styrofoam buoys with more sustainable materials. Vu Kien Cuong, director of the Ha Long Bay management committee, confirmed that trash from Hoang Tan Island has been spreading into the bay. He stated that the committee plans to coordinate with Quang Yen Town and Ha Long City to complete a 10-day clean-up operation.

Despite mobilising hundreds of volunteers for extended clean-up efforts, the pollution issue remains unresolved. Tran Van Vinh, a 57-year-old aquaculture farmer, reported losses of approximately VND 1 billion (US$39,502) due to the typhoon and faces difficulties rebuilding his farm.

The high costs of replacing buoys have led some in the area to reuse styrofoam, with a styrofoam buoy costing around VND 140,000 (US$5.53), compared to VND 350,000 - VND 500,000 (US$13.81 – US$19.74) for a plastic alternative. As many families in the region own hundreds of aquaculture farms, the expense of switching to alternative materials is substantial, presenting an additional challenge in addressing the pollution crisis.

-      VN Express