The co-operatives says that higher than normal mortality rates have been occuring for about one week. Those that had suffered the most were sited in Nha Mat ward in Bac Lieu town and Vinh Hau, a commune in Hoa Binh district.
The co-ops report that as much as 30 per cent of aquatic animals have died in this area and it was not only affecting those that relied on aquaculture. Hundreds of shrimp and crap breeders living along Bac Lieu Sea are now facing a high possibility of loss due to crab and shrimp dying en masse.
Ngo Ba Bac, head of Bien Bac Co-operative in Bac Lieu town said that if this continued to happen, there would be no fish or seafood left for harvest.
According to initial investigations, the catastrophe is related to sewage water that is being discharged into the sea by water processing companies. The contamination is beleived to have killed aquatic life and significantly damaged the water quality in the area.