In mid-September 2015, two tons of holothurians drifted onto the Phu Quoc coast in an abnormal way. They were also found on the Phu Vang coast of the central province of Thua Thien - Hue. Prior to that, in March 2015, oysters, scallops, snails and mussels died en masses and were washed ashore in Ha Tinh province.

Local fishermen said that they had not seed such a strange phenomenon before.

Vu Dinh Dap, former deputy head of the Aquaculture Research Institute Zone 3, believes China’s construction of artificial islands had caused the massive death of the aquatic creatures.

He said holothurians, clams, shellfish and mussels live on the ocean floor, eating seaweed, organic matter and plankton to live. Aquatic creatures have become increasingly scarce in recent years. Vietnamese farmers have to go offshore to catch them.

Dap said that aquatic creatures died abnormally because of changes in their living environment caused by natural impact (heavy rains, tsunami…) and human activities.

There has been no unusual natural phenomena strong enough to force sea organisms to drift ashore.

Thus, he believes that it is human activity in the ocean that have had a negative impact on aquatic creatures’ life.

Holothurians mostly live under coral reefs. Once coral reefs change, the living environment for holothurians will also change. Oysters and scallops live under sand layers, and after the sand erodes, they have to rise up out of the water and move away or die.

Dap agreed with the the scientists’ view that Chinese activities to build artificial islands could be the cause.

China is trying to turn submerged islands into floating ones with sand taken from the ocean floor. The volume of sand China has taken could be up to tens or hundreds of millions of tons.

This has caused a great disturbance to the living environment on the ocean’s floor. Empty holes will appear in these areas and sand from other places will fill the holes, which will influence the ecosystems and sea organisms. 

Dap also warned that the not only benthic creatures, but all sea creatures will be affected, while the building activities will also cause pollution to the environment.

Dat Viet