Many people in HCM City are bizarrely ignoring health risks and going fishing directly from the city’s sewage system.

Every afternoon, many local people gather at Nguyen Tat Thanh Street in District 4 to fish. Firstly, they use an iron bar to take off the cover of sewage pipes.

A fishing rod

The major bait is crickets 

The most common fish found are anabas and catfish.

Mr. Thanh, 26 years old in Dong Thap Province, said that every afternoon when the water of Saigon River rises, fish often swim into nearby sewage pipes, so it is quite easy to catch them rather in the river.

People usually catch at least two kilos of fish. Sometimes, they can catch catfish weighing around 20 kilos.

Many people consider fishing as their pastime, but they often sell the fish to other people and won’t eat them themselves. People don’t seem to mind obstructing the traffic while sewer fishing.