Ba Mau Lake Analysis

Ba Mau lake is an attractive and a well-enjoyed greenspace in the Kim Lien neighborhood of Hanoi. It, like many of the lakes in Hanoi, represents one of the most quintessential elements of Hanoi’s image as “a city of lakes”. Unfortunately, many of the lakes in Hanoi have become very polluted. The international reputation of Hanoi’s lakes has been tarnished by stories of dead fish and trash floating in the middle of Ba Mau lake, Hoan Kiem lake, and even West Lake. The above image shows two people engaging in “informal” fishing at Ba Mau Lake. My categorization of these fishermen’s actions as “informal” is rooted in my understanding of the political, economic, and social context of Vietnam as well as my experiences in public urban green spaces

This concept is both incorrect and dangerous as it assumes that informal and formal urban spaces are always separated and reproduces social exclusion of individuals. Ba Mau Lake is not an informal space. It is recognized on maps and maintained by the government. However, this does not stop the fishermen from being seen as informal. The fisherman at the lake are socially excluded by the media. Many of the articles published on fishing in the lakes call the fishermen “a nuisance”, and describe the fishermen as criminals who ignore the city’s attempts to ban them (Asia News Network, Vietnamnet). The fisherman at smaller lakes like Ho Ba Mau are often catching fish that the city released into the lake to clean it (Facilitator). As people grow more concerned about lake pollution, more see the fishermen’s activities as barriers to maintaining a clean lake (Vietnamnet). The villainization of socioeconomically vulnerable fishermen by citizens and the media is encapsulated in the labeling of the fishermen’s actions as informal. The categories of informal and formal can serve as substitutes for categories like clean and dirty or good and bad in people’s minds. The “informal” label allows other members of society to identify the fishermen as part of the problem that must be eliminated if the lake is to become “clean” (Asia News Network). There must be a recognition of the nuanced nature of informal and formal practices within the planning community if there is any hope to change social perceptions around those engaging in informal activities (Macfarlane 2012,