According to a recent report, Ha Long Bay, an UNESCO-recognized World Heritage Site, has been constantly destroyed for a certain period of time and may lose its naturally beautiful state. The report came about after disturbing activities have been spotted around the area such as fishing by electrocution or dynamite along Ha Long Bay and sawing off the stalactites in the cave. But authorities have categorically denied some of these reports.

Dynamite and electro-fishing have been practiced lately not only by a few but dozens and even thousands of boats which can be seen from the Ha Long fish market to the bay. Local fishermen who have chosen to stick to traditional fishing are witness to these dangerous practices themselves, attesting that quite a number of electro-fishing boats can be seen with bundles of cords and ropes hanging from their sterns into the water. They are outfitted with inverters and have giant nets which automatically collect the electrocuted fish. The electric output is between 1,500-2,000 watts and has a 20-metre radius reach, instantly killing any sea creature which comes its way. They can be seen from as far as Ha Long to Cam Pha City, causing serious damage to the natural resources.

The traditional fishermen have filed many reports and in fact, this matter has been addressed by the proper authorities by investigating and even imposing penalties to the violators, but the number of fishermen involved in this illegal activity has been steadily increasing, making it difficult for them to be caught right away. A lot of fishermen have resorted to this kind of fishing lately because it has far more output at so much less effort and time compared to traditional fishing which only catches about one fifth of what electro-fishing produces. Another factor that tempts many fishermen today to resort to electro or dynamite fishing is that most fishing boats have no license numbers, therefore they try to fish at the fastest possible time. Moreover, the cold winter weather decreases natural resources, driving fishermen to think of other ways to supply for their basic needs, that is, even through prohibited means.

According to the Deputy Director of Ha Long Bay Management Board Pham Dinh Huynh, 34 cases of illegal fishing have already been dealt with, amounting to VND millions in fines. A 2013 Government Decree states that electro-fishing is to be fined VND2-5 million ($89-$221) and dynamite fishing VND10-20 million ($440-$880). But according to local fishermen and the board itself, imposing such fines is not enough punishment because the violators can easily pay them. Stricter and heavier penalties have to be implemented, but the government has not yet approved such request since 2014 on the grounds that separate regulations cannot be imposed on each heritage site.

Stalactites, which took thousands of years to form, have been carelessly sawed off from the roofs of the limestone caves and sold as decorations for decades now. Authorities are quite aware of this and although some areas are guarded such as the Ha Long Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay area, which are also known tourist destinations, most are far and inaccessible, thus prone to vandalism.

The illegally destructive practice have prevailed for so long because selling stalactites in non bo gardens (miniature landscapes) or aquariums proved to be a lucrative business, with the small ones selling for several millions of dong, while the big and sparkly ones can be priced at about one hundred million dong. The caves of Cap La, Trinh Nu (Virgin), Trong (Rooster) and Tien Ong (Fairy) are victims to such disturbing practices, with stalactites cut in half and even vandalisms left on the walls. Some caves were even cemented and transformed into high-end restaurants, much to the dismay and disapproval of the public. The cave diners have long been closed.

Despite all these reports though, the management board of Ha Long Bay disagrees to some of the facts, stating that there is no vandalism and that some of the stalactites fall off on their own as part of a “geological formation process” that have been going on for millions of years. The so-called cave restaurants were more of a place for eating rather than preparing food itself because cooking was not done in the structures themselves but rather in the cruise ships where tourists arrived in. It also justified that since 1995, the caves have been strictly protected, with surveillance cameras, iron barriers and 24-hour guards manning the areas.   

The Ha Long management board has put into effect “moorings” as one way of preserving the stalactites as this process holds them in place. It has also asked the help of local residents and businesses to be aware of their surroundings and report immediately any suspicious or outright illegal activities in their area. The growing tourism at Ha Long Bay is also a big help to lessen these malpractices since the large number of people constantly arriving at the place deters violators from performing their destructive acts.