The quality of the water in the river from Nong Wai dike in Nam Phong district to Wat Tha Song Khon in Muang district has dropped with less dissolved oxygen since December. Some days, the level was less than three milligrams per litre – which would affect fish in floating baskets – and there is no more water to improve that situation.

Khon Kaen fishery official Nawarat Jitpiromsri said there were more than 2,000 floating baskets for fish raising along the Nam Phong.

Nawarat said fish farmers had been warned since the 2014 drought that they should refrain from this activity or use devices to raise the level of oxygen. Most farmers had abided by the warning because they could see the low water and high risks. The office announced the ban after two batches of dead fish last year and said people who break this rule wouldn’t get any compensation.

Among the resolute fish farmers were the 16-strong Nil Siam Community Enterprise group – reportedly the first in the Northeast to raise perch in the Nam Phong River this way, while also raising red tilapia and red tail mystus, which were in high demand. They had 300 floating baskets mainly at Ban Dong Pong pier in Muang district’s Tambon Sila. They reacted by moving some fish in floating baskets onto land – raising them in earthen wells instead, head of the group Yuttharin Vijitranont said.

“We understand the authority is well-meaning but our occupation must survive so we are prepared to move some fish onto land,” he said, adding that several members had done it successfully so they had expanded.

The number of fish raised in the river had now been halved, while oxygen was also generated by devices in the floating baskets, he said. This added to costs of production but it was for the group’s survival, he said, expressing confidence that the group’s methods would continue to produce good quality fish.

Group member Pithak Saenpong, the first to raise fish in wells on his 20-rai plot in Tambon Kud Nam Sai, said the lower water level during the drought had hit the Nam Phong fish farmers hard, so they learned to adjust by shifting fish to the wells. He diverted water from the river into a storage pond for treatment, before pumping the water into wells. He also got devices to increase oxygen in the water. It had been eight months since he pioneered this method and it had been successful so far, he said adding that he even tried to raise Koi fish. He suggested that anyone wanting to follow his steps be well prepared in terms of venue, well construction, and have a sufficient supply of raw water.