Illegal fishing has been rampant at a marine reserve in central Vietnam despite a ban introduced over a year ago as fishermen have failed to find a legal means of livelihood.
A sea area of 7, hectares located in Quang Ngai Province was set apart as the Ly Son marine reserve in early The area enjoys legal protection against fishing and construction but one thorny problem has surfaced ever since: many fishing boats keep defying the prohibition. Fishermen complained the provincial administration put the ban in place at the expense of their source of income.
Around families who earn a living by catching seafood are affected by the ban, according to Phung Dinh Toan, deputy head of the Quang Ngai fishery department. During meetings with the administration, the fishermen demanded to be granted financial support in building larger ships for offshore fishing further from the coast or running tourism services on land.
While local administrators are considering these demands, resources within the boundary of the Ly Son marine reserve continues to be used illegally. When the fire was finally extinguished, five people in a family living inside were found already dead.
Nguyen Thi Hanh, a manager at a bia hoi in downtown Hanoi, said she would struggle to pay staff this month. Residents in the northern Vietnamese provinces of Lai Chau and Ha Giang are trying their best to help one another rebuild their lives after floods took a heavy toll on the two localities last month. Many sewers along the streets in Ho Chi Minh City have their entrances blocked by garbage on a regular basis, negatively impacting urban esthetics and the environment while helping cause serious flooding.
