Protecting aquatic resources from the Yok T'ro Peng festival

From the aquatic resources protection community

Village elder Lam Dinh in Soc Lon hamlet, Loc Khanh commune, Loc Ninh district said: The Khmer community has a beautiful tradition, which is to join hands to protect the local endemic fish and shrimp resources. In addition, the people also contribute to enriching species by contributing fish fry and releasing them into natural ponds and lakes in their living area every March. The Khmer people believe that destructive fishing is a crime, robbing fishermen of their livelihoods and destroying the living environment. Therefore, the people only catch fish with fishing gear, traps, nets, and traps. Our village elders even advise people not to fish during the breeding season. Every March, any household that participates in fishing must buy some fish fry and release them back into natural ponds. We have maintained this practice for generations.

Khmer people always maintain the practice of releasing fish into natural lagoons and lakes to enrich aquatic species.

Binh Phuoc has an inland water surface area of ​​about 28,300 hectares, of which the water surface on river, stream and canal systems is nearly 7,200 hectares, the rest are ponds, lakes... This is a favorable condition for people to develop fisheries. However, the use of illegal fishing tools such as electric rakes and electric shocks that can cause mass damage to aquatic products still exists. Therefore, regenerating aquatic resources in natural waters, raising awareness of the community to regenerate aquatic resources, protecting the environment and biodiversity through the lagoon breaking festival is a method that needs to be encouraged and replicated.

Thousands of tourists join in the festive atmosphere

Mr. Vo Van Luong, Vice Chairman of Loc Ninh District People's Committee shared: "The Bau Breaking Festival of the Khmer people in Loc Khanh commune has been recognized as a national intangible cultural heritage. Therefore, in order to maintain and restore the festival better and better, the District People's Committee coordinates with the commune and village elders to connect the Khmer people with other ethnic groups in Loc Ninh district. Thereby, forming a strong community to join hands to protect local aquatic genetic resources. Thereby raising awareness for the whole community in protecting the habitat of aquatic species".

Come to do tourism from the festival of breaking the lake

Once a year, the Khmer people of Loc Khanh commune organize a lake breaking festival with joyful and vibrant images, attracting thousands of locals and tourists to participate.

All people are allowed to participate in fishing in the lagoons and lakes that the community has worked together to protect and preserve for a whole year, and of course, only traditional fishing gear is used. “Our people do not catch fish by detonating explosives or using electric shocks, because doing so will kill both big and small fish. We only catch adult fish and use traditional fishing gear. In fact, this is a way for our people to promote and introduce to tourists the traditions and good customs of the Khmer people here,” said Mr. Dieu Tich in Loc Khanh commune.

Yok T'ro Peng lagoon breaking festival is performed with solemn rituals.

The lagoon breaking festival contains values ​​of community culture, culture of behavior towards the natural environment through exploitation and fishing in the lagoons. Coming to the festival, people not only exploit aquatic products in the lagoons but also have fun, interact and connect with each other. With increasingly rich and diverse content, the festival attracts a large number of people from all over to visit and experience.

The Yok T'ro Peng lagoon breaking festival in Loc Khanh commune in 2025 attracted over 1,500 visitors. Not only was it successful in terms of promotion, the event also helped stimulate demand for other services such as cuisine, hotels, etc. “I come from Tra Vinh. I have known about the Yok T'ro Peng festival in Loc Khanh commune for several years, but I have only been able to attend it now. It was a pleasure to witness the enthusiastic and united atmosphere between local people and tourists from all over. Everyone came here to fish together and strengthen their friendship. I was even more surprised when many Tiktokers and Youtubers also came to livestream, spreading the image of the festival to many people!” - Ms. Tran Nhu Y, a tourist shared.

Festival encourages people to fish safely with traditional fishing gear

From a beautiful custom: not fishing in a destructive way and not fishing during the breeding season, the Khmer people have joined hands to preserve the long-standing beauty of the festival by adhering to the principles of organizing rituals, ceremonies, and folk games associated with the festival in accordance with the traditions of the people. It is this uniqueness that has helped the festival be recognized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism as a national intangible cultural heritage. This is a great honor not only for the Khmer people in Loc Khanh in particular, but also for the tourism industry of Binh Phuoc in general.

Source: https://baobinhphuoc.com.vn/news/4/170965/bao-ve-nguon-loi-thuy-san-nhin-tu-le-hoi-yok-t-ro-peng