A bountiful fishing season for scad and herring.

When the southwest monsoon winds, carrying moisture, blow inland, signaling the arrival of the rainy season, it's also the time when fishermen in nearshore areas of Ba Ria - Vung Tau begin their season for catching scad and herring... According to fishermen, the scad and herring season in Ba Ria - Vung Tau lasts from March to September each year, but the peak season is in June, July, and August (lunar calendar), and the fishing grounds for scad and herring are only about 10 to 12 nautical miles from the shore. During this time, each boat with 3-4 workers can catch hundreds of kilograms of scad and herring in just 2-3 hours; even boats with fewer catch can still get several tens of kilograms.

Tow the boat.

Join Vietnam.vn on a tour to experience and immerse yourself in the daily life of the local fishermen, basking in the brilliant morning sun as they begin a new day with this early morning net-pulling activity at Ba Ria - Vung Tau beach, through the photo series "Bountiful Harvest of Mackerel and Herring" by author Nguyen Van Khoi. The fishing season for mackerel and herring usually runs from around 3 AM until the sun rises, at which point the boats return to shore. The beach becomes bustling with activity: some pulling boats, others shaking nets, picking up fish, and some buying and selling... The caught fish are sold on the spot to tourists and traders. Tourists visiting the city... Vung Tau during this time, or coastal tourist areas of Ba Ria - Vung Tau such as Phuoc Hai beach (Dat Do), Binh Chau beach (Xuyen Moc), or the beach near Dinh Co (Long Hai), Bai Sau and Bai Truoc beaches in Vung Tau city... The author submitted this photo collection to the "Happy Vietnam" photo and video contest, organized by the Ministry of Information and Communications .

The fishermen had a bountiful catch of scad and herring.

The women collect the fish from the boats and then sell them to tourists and traders.

The boats returned with holds full of shrimp and fish.

Untangling the nets in the morning sunlight.

The season for scad and herring is bustling.

Every day, fishermen set off at 3 AM and return to shore around 7 AM. After catching the fish, they are shaken onto large tarpaulins, sorted, and weighed immediately for sale to wholesalers, locals, and tourists. Herring and scad, in particular, can be prepared in many delicious and nutritious dishes such as: fried, in soup, salad, braised with pepper… and can also be dried. Their low cost and ease of preparation make herring very popular with consumers. According to many fishermen who fish near the shore, herring and scad are abundant in the coastal areas of Ba Ria - Vung Tau, with the highest concentrations in Vung Tau City and Long Hai, Long Dien District. In Vung Tau City alone, there are currently about 19 boats specializing in herring fishing. Depending on the tides and wind, fishermen will move their boats to facilitate fishing. From November to the end of February of the following lunar year, fishermen who catch herring and scad return to the Bai Sau area to avoid the wind and catch barracuda and mackerel... In this way, the coastal fishing industry of Ba Ria - Vung Tau is maintained steadily through the fishing seasons, creating a unique beauty of the coastal region. In 2024, the "Happy Vietnam" photo and video contest will continue to be organized by the Ministry of Information and Communications in coordination with the Vietnam Association of Photographic Artists on the website.   https://happy.vietnam.vn is open to all Vietnamese citizens and foreigners aged 15 and above. The competition aims to honor individuals and groups with positive informational products that make practical contributions to promoting a beautiful image of Vietnam to the world. Through this, it helps people at home, overseas Vietnamese, and international friends access authentic images of Vietnam, its people, its achievements in ensuring human rights, and working towards a happy Vietnam. Each competition category (photos and videos) has the following prizes and prize values: – 1 Gold Medal: 70,000,000 VND – 2 Silver Medals: 20,000,000 VND – 3 Bronze Medals: 10,000,000 VND – 10 Consolation Prizes: 5,000,000 VND – 1 Most Voted entry: 5,000,000 VND. Winning authors will be invited by the Organizing Committee to attend the Award Ceremony and Certificate Presentation, broadcast live on Vietnam Television.

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