Tests on seafood in central provinces to be announced early next month
The results of tests on seafood caught in the four central coastal provinces affected by the mass fish deaths in April will be announced in early September.
Fishermen in central Quang Tri province (Source: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – The results of tests on seafood caught in the four central coastal provinces affected by the mass fish deaths in April will be announced in early September, according to t🦄he Health Ministry’s Food Safety Department.
The ministry’s experts have been conducting tests on fish samples taken daily from sea ports and aquaculture ponds in the four central provinces of Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri and Thua Thien-Hue.
The department said the ratio of contamination among samples has reduced over time. In July, seven out of 27 fish samples (25.7 percent) were found to contain heavy metals, but the rate dropped to 1 out of 18 (5.5 percent) on August 19, three days before the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment announced the sea water in the region was safe for swimming and aquaculture.
The tests are part of the Health Ministry’s plan issued on July 11 on measures to cope with the serious environmental incidents caused by steel maker Formosa Ha Tinh.
Besides fresh seafood, those kept at cold storage were also tested for safety before selling. Unsafe seafood batches must be destroyed.
The plan also instructs relevant agencies to issue safety certificates for seafood caught beyond 20 nautical miles from the shore. For seafood caught within 20 nautical miles, relevant agencies must maintain close monitoring until their safety is proved. Products made from sea fish such as dried fish or fish sauce must be subject to strict food safety supervision.
The plan requires surveillance of sea water within three nautical miles from the shore, along with monitoring of air and underground water quality in areas around Formosa Ha Tinh, which discharged waste water to the sea that caused the mass fish deaths.
Under the plan, surveys will also be conducted to evaluate the incident’s impacts on local residents’ health. The serious environmental incident occurred in April when a large number of dead fish along the coast were first discovered in Ky Anh township, Ha Tinh province on April 6, then more fish died in Quang Binh, Quang Tri and Thua Thien-Hue provinces.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, aquacultural farms reported 67 tonnes of dead fish while the volume of natural fish found dead was estimated at 100 tonnes.
Statistics showed that Ha Tinh’s total seafood output in the first six months of this year was down 16,000 tonnes year on year, while Quang Binh suffered a drop of 23,600 tonnes, Quang Tri 16,000 tonnes and Thua Thien-Hue 13,300 tonnes.
In late June, Formosa Ha Tinh accepted responsibility for the mass fish deaths. The pollution damaged about 400 hectares of coral and affected over 260,000 people who earn their living by working in sea-related activities.
The company pledged to compensate over 11.5 trillion VND (500 million USD), which will be used to support local fishermen in changing their jobs and recover the polluted maritime environment. It also vowed to deal with shortcomings and limitations in waste and wastewater treatment.-VNA
More than 80,000 labourers in the fishing industry and other marine businesses in the central province of Ha Tinh have received assistance in various forms from local authorities,
The Ministry of Industry and Trade has suggested the State Bank of Vietnam clear, reschedule or put off debts for farmers who have been affected by drought and saltwater intrusion.
The marine environment in the coastal areas of four central provinces stretching from Ha Tinh to Thua Thien-Hue is basically safe, Minister of Environment and Natural Resources Tran Hong Ha has said.
In the context where AI dominates and produces vast volumes of content, the only sustainable path forward for journalism is to focus on high-quality content and core values. Journalism must redefine its mission - not to report the fastest, but to provide the most profound and trustworthy value.
Granma and the VNA have great potential for cooperation, especially in sharing content regularly, so that VNA products are published on Granma platforms and vice versa, thereby helping Cuban and Vietnamese people access true information and gain a deep understanding of each other's country and people.
During his stay in China’s Guangzhou city from 1924 to 1927 to prepare for the establishment of a Communist Party to lead Vietnam’s revolution, President Ho Chi Minh founded “Thanh nien” newspaper and released its first issue on June 21, 1925.
Vietnam and Cambodia are hoped to strengthen their robust collaboration across various sectors, particularly in resolving remaining border issues to transform the border area into a zone of peace, friendship, cooperation, and development.
The strategic product, managed and operated by the Vietnam News Agency Digital Media Centre (VNA Media), is an official channel for popularising the Party and State’s information and documents as well as delivering mainstream and trustworthy news to both domestic and international audiences through various kinds of multimedia formats.
Since President Ho Chi Minh founded Thanh Nien (Young People) newspaper in 1925, the Vietnamese revolutionary press has become the voice of the people. During the resistance war against the colonialists, journalists took great personal risks to inspire patriotism and the will of rising up against foreign invaders.
The total investment exceeded 319 billion VND (12.2 million USD), including over 261 billion VND from the state budget and 57.5 billion VND mobilised from businesses, organisations, and individuals.
The Mekong Delta province of Tien Giang is intensifying efforts to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing as part of the country’s goal of having the European Commission’s “yellow card” warning lifted.
Throughout its 80-year history, the VNA has remained at the forefront of information dissemination. It has consistently delivered timely, accurate, and objective reports on both domestic and international events, serving the Party’s leadership, the State’s management, and the public’s demand for official news.
With strong support from local authorities, businesses, organisations, and residents, the province has successfully built or repaired 10,707 homes for disadvantaged households, including war veterans, families of martyrs, ethnic minority people, and low-income residents.
Throughout its resistance against colonialists and imperialists, Vietnam developed a revolutionary press that has served as a benchmark for just and legitimate causes worldwide.
Founded in 1842, the Vienna Philharmonic is regarded as a cultural ambassador of Austria, with prestigious conductors like Mahler and Karajan who shape its legacy. Its New Year’s Concert, broadcast to over 90 countries annually, stands as a global symbol of classical music excellence.
PM Chinh lauded the press’s historic role in the nation’s fight for independence and its ongoing process of national development, affirming that the Government always highly appreciates the close partnership and steadfast support of press agencies and journalists nationwide.
In recent decades, Vietnam’s mainstream media has become a reliable and persuasive channel for showcasing the nation’s development policies and achievements, especially in economic matters, according to a senior assistant editor at the Times of India.
A hub for sharing best practices, the event aims to forge solutions for financial sustainability, public media contracts, audience engagement, content innovation, and newsroom restructuring. It is also a moment for Vietnam’s media to accelerate its progress and figure out what the “revolutionary press” means in a new era.
From “Thanh nien”, Vietnam’s first revolutionary newspaper founded by Nguyen Ai Quoc (later President Ho Chi Minh) on June 21, 1925, the revolutionary press has remained devoted to its sacred missions -accompanying the nation, serving the Fatherland, and working for the people.
The official launch of Emirates’ Dubai–Da Nang route on June 2 has sparked a “tourism revolution” for Vietnam’s central coastal city. Da Nang is emerging as a top destination for high-end travelers, particularly from the lucrative Middle Eastern market.
Bernama CEO Datin Paduka Nur-ul Afida Kamaludin said VNA has been a consistent and reliable partner in OANA, contributing actively to the regional media landscape through content sharing, coordination, and policy discussions. Their coverage of ASEAN and Indochina issues adds valuable perspectives. Bernama appreciates the collaboration with VNA.
Fishermen in central Quang Tri province (Source: VNA)
