After completing the sale of fish, fisherman Bui Van Dung who is the owner of fishing boat DNa 90974 TS from Thanh Khe Dong Ward, Thanh Khe District, handed over two big net bags filled with plastic bottles and soft drink cans to the Management Board of the Tho Quang Fishing Port and Wharf.

A fisherman handing over two big net bags containing plastic waste which was collected during the offshore fishing trip at sea to the Management Board of the Tho Quang Fishing Port and Wharf. Photo: HOANG HIEP

The amount of resource waste was classified by fishermen on the fishing boat and put into net bags after a 15-day offshore fishing trip to the Hoang Sa (Paracel) waters. Plastic bottles floating in the sea, plus broken pieces of rope and fishing nets, were caught in net bags by fishermen to bring back to shore.

Fisherman Bui Van Dung said “We do not throw plastic bottles and bags into the sea and the Tho Quang Fishing Port indiscriminately as before. aiming at reducing plastic waste for the ocean and ensure the environment for the port.

Meanwhile, fisherman Nguyen Xau from Tho Quang Ward, Son Tra District, who is the owner of the fishing boat DNa 90434 TS, said that his family had a total of five fishing boats operating at sea. Each ship has net bags and rackets for crew members to pick up all kinds of resource waste and ocean plastic waste such as water cans and bottles, ropes, nets, and buoys. The collected waste was then brought back to shore for reuse or sale to earn more money and protect aquatic resources.

“I hope that relevant agencies will widely publicise and replicate the model of bringing plastic waste ashore to fishermen in many other localities to protect aquatic resources and human health" he added.

Deputy Director of the Management Board of the Tho Quang Fishing Port and Wharf Pham Trung Thanh said that his unit has coordinated with the Centre for Environmental and Community Research (CECR) to call on fishermen, locals and small businesses to collect and sort garbage in the right places, especially bringing natural and plastic waste back to shore.

As a result, more than 5.7 tonnes of garbage of all kinds have been brought to shore from nearly 2,500 fishing boats ships. Small traders at the Tho Quang Seafood Wholesale Market have collected more than 250 kilos of low-value plastic waste to transfer to recycling units.

CECR Director Nguyen Khac Hung informed that his centre will try to maintain, deploy and replicate this model in order to protect water resources, the marine environment, aquatic resources, livelihoods, fishing grounds and health for next generations.

According to the Da Nang Department of Natural Resources and Environment, from June 1 - August 30, the city will focus its resources to implement the Action Month for the Environment in response to the World Environment Day 2023 themed ‘Solutions for Plastic Pollution’, and the Viet Nam Sea and Islands Week in response to World Oceans Day (June 8) across the city with many activities, especially on weekends.

Accordingly, a wide range of activities on promoting waste sorting at source will be organised across the city.

The municipal Department of Natural Resources and Environment plans to organise a scientific seminar on identifying difficulties and obstacles, and proposing solutions to promote sustainable development of the marine economy in Da Nang. Also, an international conference on developing local initiatives for environmentally friendly cities will be held in the city.

Additionally, many environmental sanitation campaigns at roads, residential areas and beaches will take place across the city.

Reporting by HOANG HIEP - Translating by M.DUNG