Tran Manh Duc, who lives on Hoang Sa Street that runs along the NhieuLoc – Thi Nghe Canal, known not too long ago as the dirtiest in HCMCity, has taken up a new hobby.
Duc pointed to hisfish basket and said he began fishing here two or three months agoafter seeing his neighbours catch a lot of fish.
Atleast 30 small fish and a few bigger ones jostled for space in verylittle water. Duc said he would release them back into the canal later;that he was fishing for sport, not food.
Over the last few months, a transformation has taken place along the canal, once infamous for its stinking, black waters.
“In the past, no fish could live in this canal, but the water in thecanal has become cleaner recently. It’s not difficult to see schools offish now,” Duc said.
“It maybe native fish released bylocal people (to gain merit during the Tet festival),” said the22-year-old man who has spent his childhood on the banks of thestinking canal.
“Twenty years ago, when I was a kid,my house was very close to the canal. I could not sleep because of thestink. I could not imagine then that I would be able to fish in it oneday, as I am doing now,” he said.
Not very far fromDuc stood Phan Thanh Cam, 28, who used to spend a lot of money to fishon a service lake in the Le Thi Rieng Park or go to outlying districtsto enjoy his hobby.
Cam said he was fishing in the canal for the second time.
“Now I feel lazy to travel so far to fish. I saw several peoplecatching a lot of fish here, so I bring my rod here to save money andtime travelling to Nha Be, Binh Chanh and Can Gio districts or evenLong An province,” said the technician who works for motorbike makerYamaha.
Cam also spent his childhood near the canal. He said asimportant as fishing is the fact that he can smoke and chat withfriends near the canal, which he never thought would become cleanagain. The water has turned from black to green and clumps of waterhyacinths can be seen floating on it now.
On the heelsof this remarkable phenomenon, locals have already listed the canalamong the popular fishing destinations in the city. In the afternoon,pavements along the Nhieu Loc – Thi Nghe Canal are more crowded andbustling with social activity.
While some choose tofish, others are there just to while away the time. Those fishing alsobring wine and drink it with their friends as they wait for the fish totake their bait.
It is evident that after more thanten years, the project to improve the hygiene and environment of theNhieu Loc – Thi Nghe Canal is bearing fruit.
In the1990s, the city targeted the canal area for urban development. Manypoor migrants had inhabited the area and built temporary houses thatdischarged all their waste directly into the canal, worsening thepollution.
Over the years, the canal water became black, grimy and let out a perpetual stench.
In a massive six-year (1993-98) cleanup operation, the municipaladministration cleared away thousands of slums and made way for roadsalong the canal.
The project had a total investmentcapital of 1.6 trillion VND (over 76.9 million USD), which was spent onproviding compensation and resettling nearly 7,000 residents livingalong the canal, dredging 260,000 cubic meters of sedimentation,construction roads, planting trees and other activities.
While the resumption of fishing is an indicator of its revival,concerns have been raised that the hobby could further damage thefragile environment of the canal.
Everybody agreedthat it is not safe to eat fish caught in the canal. But the fish couldalso die after being released, further damaging the canal’s waters,people say.
Many people are also worried that thereturn of social activities like drinking, playing cards and fishingalong the canal will see increased dumping of rubbish and waste intoits waters, undoing what has been a remarkable achievement by the cityadministration.-VNA
Duc pointed to hisfish basket and said he began fishing here two or three months agoafter seeing his neighbours catch a lot of fish.
Atleast 30 small fish and a few bigger ones jostled for space in verylittle water. Duc said he would release them back into the canal later;that he was fishing for sport, not food.
Over the last few months, a transformation has taken place along the canal, once infamous for its stinking, black waters.
“In the past, no fish could live in this canal, but the water in thecanal has become cleaner recently. It’s not difficult to see schools offish now,” Duc said.
“It maybe native fish released bylocal people (to gain merit during the Tet festival),” said the22-year-old man who has spent his childhood on the banks of thestinking canal.
“Twenty years ago, when I was a kid,my house was very close to the canal. I could not sleep because of thestink. I could not imagine then that I would be able to fish in it oneday, as I am doing now,” he said.
Not very far fromDuc stood Phan Thanh Cam, 28, who used to spend a lot of money to fishon a service lake in the Le Thi Rieng Park or go to outlying districtsto enjoy his hobby.
Cam said he was fishing in the canal for the second time.
“Now I feel lazy to travel so far to fish. I saw several peoplecatching a lot of fish here, so I bring my rod here to save money andtime travelling to Nha Be, Binh Chanh and Can Gio districts or evenLong An province,” said the technician who works for motorbike makerYamaha.
Cam also spent his childhood near the canal. He said asimportant as fishing is the fact that he can smoke and chat withfriends near the canal, which he never thought would become cleanagain. The water has turned from black to green and clumps of waterhyacinths can be seen floating on it now.
On the heelsof this remarkable phenomenon, locals have already listed the canalamong the popular fishing destinations in the city. In the afternoon,pavements along the Nhieu Loc – Thi Nghe Canal are more crowded andbustling with social activity.
While some choose tofish, others are there just to while away the time. Those fishing alsobring wine and drink it with their friends as they wait for the fish totake their bait.
It is evident that after more thanten years, the project to improve the hygiene and environment of theNhieu Loc – Thi Nghe Canal is bearing fruit.
In the1990s, the city targeted the canal area for urban development. Manypoor migrants had inhabited the area and built temporary houses thatdischarged all their waste directly into the canal, worsening thepollution.
Over the years, the canal water became black, grimy and let out a perpetual stench.
In a massive six-year (1993-98) cleanup operation, the municipaladministration cleared away thousands of slums and made way for roadsalong the canal.
The project had a total investmentcapital of 1.6 trillion VND (over 76.9 million USD), which was spent onproviding compensation and resettling nearly 7,000 residents livingalong the canal, dredging 260,000 cubic meters of sedimentation,construction roads, planting trees and other activities.
While the resumption of fishing is an indicator of its revival,concerns have been raised that the hobby could further damage thefragile environment of the canal.
Everybody agreedthat it is not safe to eat fish caught in the canal. But the fish couldalso die after being released, further damaging the canal’s waters,people say.
Many people are also worried that thereturn of social activities like drinking, playing cards and fishingalong the canal will see increased dumping of rubbish and waste intoits waters, undoing what has been a remarkable achievement by the cityadministration.-VNA
