Beyond its reputation as the river of light, the Da river has emerged as a vibrant area for fish and shrimp production. Local authorities and residents are aspiring to build a robust fishery industry, and their hope can be seen in the organisation of the second Da river fish and shrimp festival.
Releasing fish fingerlings to restore aquatic resources in Hoa Binh Lake.
The festival, taking place in Hoa Binh province
from November 19 - 23, aimed at showcasing local distinctive agricultural
products and spotlighting the locality’s potential, strengths, landscapes and
cultural traits, thus stimulating tourism development and attracting visitors
from far and wide.
It featured various activities, including a fish
worship and lantern floating ceremony on the Da river, an agricultural
promotion forum, and a sport fishing tournament.
The
splendour of Da River at the lantern floating ceremony
The fish worship and lantern floating ceremony
were held on on November 15 to honour the spiritual and cultural values, pray
for national prosperity, favourable weather conditions and bumper crops, and
pay tribute to the people with significant contributions to the fisheries
sector.
Box: Nguyen Thi Thanh from Hanoi said the
ceremony was a humanistic endeavour continuing the preservation and promotion
of the nation’s diverse cultural traits.
Raising awareness of
agritourism
The agricultural promotion forum was arranged
ahead of the second Da river fish and shrimp festival to raise public awareness
of sustainable agricultural development in tandem with ecotourism.
At the event, insiders shared experience and
measures to promote agritourism, green growth and sustainable development,
helping Hoa Binh get a better insight into critical tasks that need to be
completed to develop its rural economy.
Fascinating
experience at festival’s opening ceremony
The opening of the second Da river fish and
shrimp festival on November 9 drew the participation of leaders from the
Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Hoa Binh province, and thousands
of residents from both within and outside the province.
Along with enjoying a vibrant cultural
programme, visitors to the event were treated to an exciting auction of the
"river monsters” of the Da river and an array of delicious dishes made from
fish and shrimp caught in the river. The offerings were on display at the
booths of Cuong Thinh Fish, Hai Dang Goup and Da Giang Eco Cooperative.
"The second Da river fish and shrimp festival is
organised to promote the development of the local aquatic production and
solidify the two trademarks of "Hoa Binh Da River shrimp” and "Hoa Binh Da
River fish”, thus building the industry into an economic spearhead of the
province,” Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Dinh Cong Su
said.
The highlight of the opening night for
spectators was undoubtedly the auction of massive fish from the Da river
reservoir. In a thrilling bidding process, a 45-kilogram sturgeon from Hai Dang
Seafood Company was sold for 150 million VND (over 5,900 USD), much higher than
its initial starting price of 20 million VND. Meanwhile, a 30-kilogram black
carp from Cuong Thinh seafood and service company was successfully auctioned at
105 million VND, as compared to the starting price of 20 million VND.
Representatives from the companies said all of
the proceeds from the auctions will be used to buy fries which will be released
into the Hoa Binh reservoir to replenish aquatic resources.
Expressing his delight on the successful bidding
of the massive sturgeon, Nguyen Dinh Hieu from the fishing club of Bao Tin Minh
Chau Company Limited said: "I am honoured to represent the company to engage in
such a meaningful activity. I would like to thank the local leaders for
providing tourists an opportunity to enjoy a fascinating festival as well as
discover local culture, land, and people.
Realising
the dream to develop reservoir fisheries sector
With a view to capitalising on the advantages of
the Hoa Binh reservoir, the fourth largest man-made one in the country, the
standing board of the provincial Party Committee issued a resolution on developing
cage fish farming in the area for 2014-2020. In 2015, the provincial People’s
Committee issued a decision on implementing the resolution with various
policies to support and encourage the farming.
To date, the reservoir houses around 5,000 fish
cages, nearly triple the figure in 2015. Thirty-five enterprises, cooperatives,
and households have invested in large-scale intensive farming, with two
businesses operating over 200 cages using advanced technologies.
The second Da river fish and shrimp festival has
left lasting impression on local residents as well as both domestic and foreign
visitors. With the locals’ expectation for the upcoming festival as well as the
local leaders’ sound decisions, there is optimism that the dream of developing
the reservoir fisheries sector into an economic spearhead will gradually come
true.
As part of the opening ceremony of the 2024 Hoa Binh Province Da River Fish and Shrimp Festival, the auction of specialty fish from the Hoa Binh reservoir attracted significant attention.
The 2nd Da River Fish and Shrimp Festival took place in the northern province of Hoa Binh from November 19-23. Present at the opening ceremony of the festival were Secretary of the provincial Party Committee Nguyen Phi Long, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen Quoc Tri, Chairman of the provincial People's Council Bui Duc Hinh, and Chairman of the provincial People's Committee Bui Van Khanh, among others.
The 17th Congress of the Hoa Binh provincial Party Organisation for the 2020–2025 term set out 19 key objectives and tasks, including four targets for the agriculture sector namely an average growth rate of 4.5% for agriculture-forestry-fisheries; forest coverage of over 51.5%; access to clean water for 95% of the rural population; and 70% of communes achieving new rural standards.
The provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development on November 20 coordinated with Hai Dang Group Hoa Binh Seafood Company Limited to release 1.5 tonnes of fries into Hoa Binh Lake to regenerate aquatic resources, with a total value of 266 million VND (10,460 USD).
On the afternoon of November 16, Nguyen Phi Long, alternate member of the Party Central Committee and Secretary of the provincial Party Committee, held a reception for a delegation from the Indian Embassy led by Ambassador Sandeep Arya. The delegation included the chairperson of the Indian Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam, embassy personnel, and Indian businesses operating in Vietnam. Accompanying Long at the meeting were leaders of the provincial People's Committee and representatives from various departments and sectors.
