On the morning of April 14, news from the Ha Tinh Department of Agriculture and Environment said that this Department had just issued a document responding to the People's Committee of Hai Ninh ward about the initial cause of the mangrove forest death.
According to the Ha Tinh Department of Agriculture and Environment, after on-site inspection in the area of dead mangrove forests, the Sub-Department of Crop Production and Livestock Production took samples to check for signs of pests and diseases; The Center for Natural Resources and Environment Monitoring conducted water sampling to determine water environmental indicators.
Through inspection, the Department of Agriculture and Environment determined: The inspection area has 3 species: sea urchin, cycad, trang. The inspection results determined that one tree species died, which is sea urchin, while cycad and trang trees were still alive, with green leaves, and growing normally.
The total affected area is about 5 hectares. Of which, the area of completely dead trees (branches, leaves are dry, roots rotten, unable to recover; lying on water streams) is about 3 hectares; the area of trees with yellow leaves, wilting, dry from the top down with signs of death is about 2 hectares.
Visual observation did not detect harmful organisms such as: crustaceans, stem borers, barnacles clinging to tree trunks...; the surrounding area does not have large sources of waste causing water environmental pollution.
Regarding the results of water environment monitoring in the area with many dead fish sauce trees, the pH parameter is within the scope of good water quality classification. Assessing the conditions of soil, climate, and basic salinity to ensure sea fish sauce growth and development.
According to a report by the People's Committee of Hai Ninh ward, the phenomenon of dead trees appeared from November 2025 - the time when there were prolonged heavy rains causing flooding in the ward combined with erratic tidal changes that changed the living environment, affecting the growth and development of sea urchin trees.
Thus, initially, it is determined that the cause of the sea fish sauce plant death is not due to harmful organisms and water environmental pollution," according to the Ha Tinh Department of Agriculture and Environment.
Ha Tinh Department of Agriculture and Environment has requested Hai Ninh Ward People's Committee to continue directing professional departments to coordinate with the Forest Protection Department and functional agencies in the area to grasp the developments of the situation of dead sea fish, and report to professional agencies in a timely manner.
Contact and invite scientists and research experts on mangrove forests to conduct surveys, inspections, and assessments to clearly determine the cause of dead sea urchin trees in the above-mentioned area to have handling measures according to regulations.
