The 'sulky' fish helps the Tay people in Ha Giang develop tourism

Enjoying the cool water from Tay Con Linh mountain range, more than 600 households in Phuong Do commune ( Ha Giang ) each have a small pond raising the "five noble water fish" - silver carp.

The silver carp is cherished by the people of Phuong Do as a precious family asset.

Since ancient times, bream have become an indispensable part of the lives of the Tay and Dao people in Phuong Do commune (Ha Giang). These fish ponds have been passed down from generation to generation.

The silver carp is now not only a traditional local fish, but also a geographical indication, bringing tourists to the Tay and Dao villages at the foot of Tay Con Linh mountain.

The ponds of silver carp at the foot of Tay Con Linh

According to the elders in the village, the silver carp is a natural fish that lives in large rivers in the northern mountainous region such as Lo River, Gam River, and Mien River. Silver carp was once one of the five types of fish offered to the king: silver carp, anh vu fish, catfish, green dam fish, and catfish.

Located halfway up the Tay Con Linh mountain range, Mr. Ban Van Hao's fish pond (Khuoi My village, Phuong Do commune) has existed since before he was born. Mr. Hao said that since he was a child, he followed his father to catch fish fry in the Lo river.

At that time, there were still many wild carp. They had the habit of laying eggs in sandy areas near fast-flowing water, so they just needed to be caught and released in the pond.

The fish as big as thighs fought each other to eat in Mr. Hao's fish pond.

Silver carp are easy to raise, but if the water source is not clean, the precious fish will all die in droves. That is why, in the past, the Tay and Dao people in Phuong Do commune have led water from the majestic Tay Con Linh mountain range to their ponds to have clean water. One pond is connected to another, ensuring that there is always water coming in and out, creating an oxygen-rich environment for the fish to grow.

The pond was small but had hundreds of silver carp. Mr. Hao fed the fish with a handful of grass in the garden. The whole school slowly gathered together, swimming on top of each other, fighting for food.

Mr. Hao's family's traditional fish pond

Each one was as big as a thigh. The oldest was 50 years old, the "youngest" ones were nearly 20 years old.

"I never get tired of watching these fish. I'm 70 years old, but my son is 50 years old.

This fish is omnivorous but grows slowly, taking 2 years to reach 1kg. The biggest one is about 100kg, but to reach that weight it takes 30 years to raise," said Mr. Hao.

They are as slow as electricity, with long, sturdy bodies, blue-gray backs, hard scales, purple-red fins, and shiny green heads covered with green moss.

Mr. Hao said that the Lo River no longer has any fish fry. If you want to find more fish to raise, you have to travel far to the Gam River or the Mien River to buy them. The fish that have been with the family for half a century are cherished as valuable family assets.

Tourists enjoy feeding silver carp in front of Mr. Cay's homestay.

Developing tourism from silver carp

Not only Ha Giang Although Tay people are new to raising silver carp, the tradition of raising this fish has become a cultural feature to promote local tourism.

From a fish species raised to improve life, the fish ponds in Phuong Do have now become a highlight attracting tourists to the Tay village.

Following the winding concrete road around the green rice fields, Mr. Nguyen Van Cay's homestay (Tha village, Phuong Do commune) is a traditional wooden stilt house of the Tay people.

Every time they clean the mud and change the water in the fish pond, the people of Phuong Do reserve a separate space to gather the silver carp. When the pond is clean, the fish are released and continue to be raised from generation to generation.

Before, when he was just staying in the village, Mr. Cay saw that every house's fish pond was the same, because every house in the village had silver carp. Since working in tourism and traveling a lot, Mr. Cay has seen that his village is different because of the fish pond in front of his house.

"Guests who come to my house just sit and watch the fish all day. The fish suddenly become tame. Wherever they see people, the whole school swims over there. Some guests even buy bread to feed the fish. But these fish are also often sulky. I catch them and release them, and for a month they don't come to eat," Mr. Cay said.

In 2021, this traditional silver carp product was recognized as a geographical indication of Ha Giang. Since then, tourists have known more about Ha Giang silver carp. They come to Phuong Do to enjoy this valuable royal fish dish.

According to Mr. Bui Duc Dinh - Chairman of Phuong Do Commune People's Committee, local people have taken advantage of this to turn silver carp into a branded product, contributing to the development of tourism in Phuong Do, improving the lives of local people.

Local authorities create conditions and encourage households to expand their silver carp farming model to serve the increasing demand of tourists.

Every month, Mr. Nguyen Tat Thang's family (Phuong Do commune) buys more than 300kg of commercial silver carp from households in the commune to process, serving the demand for this royal fish dish of tourists when coming to Ha Giang. Mr. Thang said that Ha Giang silver carp is recognized as a geographical indication, helping the local traditional fish breed to have a brand.

The price of the fish increases gradually according to the weight of the fish. A 4kg fish is 400,000 VND/kg; 5kg and 6kg fish are increased by 100,000 VND/kg. A 10kg fish is worth tens of millions of VND.

Every year, October and November are the months when tourists flock to Phuong Do the most. The income from the silver carp alone brings his family about 80-170 million VND.

Delicious dishes made with silver carp such as grilled fish, braised fish with pickled vegetables, and salad are all prepared in the Tay style. "Tourists who enjoy the dishes all praise Phuong Do silver carp as delicious, sweet, and just the right amount of chewy and crispy," said Mr. Thang.

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