Release fish to protect the environment

On the morning of December 18, members of the Environment for Cycling Club (C4E) in Ho Chi Minh City, under the guidance and support of the Wildlife Protection Organization (WAR), cycled from Tao Dan Park. to Cau Den canal - a tributary of Saigon river (District 2, Ho Chi Minh City) to release native fish to nature.

More than 250 rocky fish (Rasbora paviana) were released to the Cau Den canal. These individual individuals were raised in the program 'Breeding and releasing native fish to nature'.

According to WAR, Long tong is a fairly common group of fish that can live in areas with runoff in the rainy season and prison water in the dry season. Tongfish are quite resistant to high levels of pollution, particularly of this species, which eat spoiled food and therefore, they can clear organic matter from domestic wastewater.

Mr. Bui Huu Manh, Conservation expert of WAR said: 'We should use inland fishes to make ornamental or free-release instead of imported fishes. This action contributes to restoring indigenous fish populations'.

Mr. Manh also said that more and more Ho Chi Minh City people have contacted WAR to receive native fishes for breeding.

Also in 2011, more than 300 fishes of Lia thia were released to other tributaries of the Saigon River. WAR said that some other native freshwater fish will also be released to the wild in the near future. The organization said it is willing to advise and support all groups and individuals interested in raising and releasing native fish.