Solving problems and problems in La Gi Fishing Port area

In recent years, the work of maintaining, repairing and overcoming the degradation of infrastructure of fishing ports in Binh Thuan province has been maintained regularly. However, due to limited funding, some fishing ports in the province have seriously degraded, environmental sanitation is not guaranteed, especially La Gi fishing port. This is also one of the criteria that the EC Inspection Team will check to remove the IUU "yellow card".

Quickly repair damage and deterioration

In early August, returning to La Gi Fishing Port during the southern fish season, the port area was very busy, crowded with boats coming in and out to unload seafood, and refuel for the next trip. However, after many years, the fishing port area is still shabby, the road surface to the port is peeling, many potholes make the water stagnant, smelly, and black. The drainage system in the port area is clogged, making the stench even stronger... It is known that this is one of the largest fishing ports in the south of the province, receiving hundreds of boats from inside and outside the province docking to buy and sell seafood every day. Despite many years of petitioning, the above degradation has not improved.

Stagnant, stinking, black water in La Gi port area

At a recent meeting of the Provincial Steering Committee for Combating IUU Fishing, Mr. Ho Ngoc Dai - Director of the Provincial Fishing Port Management Board said that the Provincial People's Committee has issued an official dispatch agreeing on the policy of repairing and overcoming the damage and environmental pollution at the 200 - 400 CV wharf area, La Gi Fishing Port to serve the work of combating IUU fishing. Currently, the Port Management Board is completing the legal procedures, expected to complete construction and put into use in 2024.

It is known that at the end of July 2024, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development together with the leaders of La Gi Town People's Committee chaired a working session related to overcoming the shortcomings in the La Gi fishing port area to improve the situation against IUU fishing. Thereby, the Department of Agriculture requested the La Gi fishing port management board, the La Gi area Fisheries Control Station, and the Fisheries Control Representative Office to urgently overcome the limitations, strictly implement the work of statistics, control fishing vessels entering and leaving the port, monitor the output at the wharf, and handle violations. In particular, the La Gi port management board was requested to coordinate with La Gi Fishing Port BOT Company Limited to agree on temporary measures to overcome the sewers, stagnant and foul-smelling pools on the road surface, the wharf surface of 200 - 400 CV before August 15, 2024 and environmental sanitation work in the fishing port area. The Management Board of Fishing Ports and the Management Board of Construction Investment Projects for Agricultural and Rural Development Works closely follow the direction of the Provincial People's Committee to focus on implementing works related to La Gi fishing port infrastructure, including repairing and overcoming damage and degradation in the 200 - 400 CV wharf area, dredging and clearing the La Gi estuary...

The Provincial People's Committee has a policy to repair and overcome the damage and environmental pollution here.

Urgent dredging to clear the estuary

According to the leaders of the Provincial Fishing Port Management Board, La Gi estuary is currently being silted up, narrowed, and there are many sandbars in the middle of the estuary. The silting area extends from the beginning of the sand-blocking and wave-reducing dike to the outside of the estuary, especially the entrance area between the two ends of the dike, with a total length of about 250 m. The silting up of La Gi estuary has damaged many fishermen's properties and continues to cause difficulties and dangers for boats entering and exiting the estuary, anchoring, loading and unloading seafood, and taking shelter from wind and storms.

Boats are refueling at La Gi fishing port.

Faced with that situation, the Provincial Fishing Port Management Board surveyed the area that needs dredging, which is currently about 250 m long, 60 m wide, and the total dredging volume is about 38,459 m3. The dredging method is to use a suction vessel with a capacity of ≤ 1,000CV to dredge sand and soil onto a barge, transport the dredged soil to the storage location, and pump the dredged sand and soil to the storage location. Currently, the location of the dredged sand and soil storage area has been determined by the People's Committee of La Gi town at the dumping site with an area of ​​20,255 m2 on unused land managed by the People's Committee of Phuoc Loc ward.

La Gi estuary has been silted up for a long time, causing damage to many fishermen's properties. Photo: N.Lan

Mr. Nguyen Van Chien - Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development said that the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has worked with the Department of Construction to unify and guide the Provincial Fishing Port Management Board to prepare documents and related procedures to carry out emergency dredging of La Gi estuary in accordance with regulations. By July 30, the Provincial Fishing Port Management Board had selected a consulting unit to examine and prepare a technical economic report on the dredging project of La Gi estuary with a total investment of more than 5.5 billion VND and sent it to the consulting unit for review. Currently, the Provincial Fishing Port Management Board has signed a contract with the Center for Natural Resources and Environment Monitoring to prepare an Environmental Impact Assessment Report. The technical economic report was reviewed by Nam Quoc Consulting and Investment Joint Stock Company on August 7, 2024. After the review results were available, the unit submitted them to the Department of Transport for review in accordance with regulations.

At the meeting of the Provincial Steering Committee for Combating IUU Fishing, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Hong Hai assessed that the progress of projects to improve fishing port infrastructure, dredge channels, and treat environmental pollution in the La Gi fishing port area is still slow. He requested the Provincial Fishing Port Management Board to proactively continue to coordinate with departments and branches to receive support and guidance to overcome existing problems, especially at the La Gi fishing port.

Source: https://baobinhthuan.com.vn/giai-quyet-cac-vuong-mac-ton-tai-khu-vuc-cang-ca-la-gi-123117.html