During the peak of the southern fishing season, fishermen in Lam Dong province struck it rich.

During the peak fishing season in the southern region, the atmosphere at fishing ports in Lam Dong province becomes even more vibrant. Before sunrise, Phan Thiet Fishing Port (Phan Thiet ward) is already bustling with people, vehicles, and boats constantly docking, bringing with them holds full of fish.

Fishermen's boats are anchored along the shore.

The southern fishing season, from April to September each year, is the main fishing season that brings in significant income for fishermen nationwide, and especially in Lam Dong province . Taking advantage of favorable weather, fishermen in the province are currently rushing out to sea.

Arriving at Phan Thiet Fishing Port, one of the province's largest fishing ports, early in the morning, we felt the bustling atmosphere as boats continuously docked, bringing in holds full of fish. Especially during this peak season for southern fish, with abundant mackerel catches, Phan Thiet Fishing Port receives tens of tons of mackerel daily. As soon as the boats dock, fishermen quickly transfer the fish from the holds onto plastic trays, then push them straight ashore. On the shore, traders are waiting to sort, weigh, and purchase the fish on the spot before loading them onto refrigerated trucks for distribution to various provinces and cities.

Fisherman Tran Nhu Hoa excitedly shared: “My boat just had a 3-day fishing trip and caught over 5 tons of fish. After deducting expenses, I earned tens of millions of dong. This year the weather has been more favorable, so from the beginning of the southern fishing season until now, each trip has been bountiful, sometimes catching up to 8-9 tons of fish. Thanks to efficient fishing, each crew member earns several million dong per trip.”

Fishermen have had a successful mackerel fishing season.

According to many fishermen, the weather has been favorable since the beginning of the year, resulting in good catches. Only in the first few days of September did storms and strong winds cause many boats to remain ashore for a few days. After that, most boats returned to port and struck a good school of mackerel. Mr. Huynh Tan Nong, the Logistics and Exploitation Fleet Manager of Bich Thanh Seafood Company, said: “On some days, the company purchases tens of tons of fish, sorts them, and distributes them to other companies according to orders. Most are spiny mackerel, which are very plump this season and are caught by fishermen in waters about 15-20 nautical miles from shore. This year's catch is abundant, so the price of mackerel fluctuates from 15,000 to 20,000 VND/kg.”

Mr. Nguyen Thanh Thu, Head of the Phan Thiet Fishing Port Management Board, said: “From April until now, fishermen have had quite favorable conditions at sea, recently hitting schools of mackerel, with a higher yield than last year. From the beginning of the year until now, the amount of seafood unloaded at Phan Thiet Fishing Port has exceeded 15,000 tons. Alongside fishing, we are currently in the peak period of implementing measures to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, so the Phan Thiet Fishing Port Management Board is coordinating with relevant agencies to educate fishermen on complying with the law. Offshore fishing vessels must use vessel tracking devices, keep fishing logs, and are not allowed to fish in foreign waters; all harvested seafood must be traceable.”

According to the Department of Agriculture and Environment, Lam Dong province has the advantage of a 192 km long coastline and an inland water area of ​​20,288 ^km² , connecting to the Southeast region, the Eastern Truong Sa Islands, and especially Phu Quy Island located offshore. This provides the province with favorable conditions for developing its marine economy , particularly in the exploitation and logistics services of the fishing industry in offshore waters. Notably, the total number of fishing vessels arriving at/departing from ports since the beginning of the year has exceeded 44,000, with a catch of over 163,000 tons, an increase of 3.62% compared to the same period last year. This year, thanks to favorable weather and abundant fish catches, fishermen have had more opportunities to stay at sea and in the fishing grounds. Although mackerel does not have high economic value, the large catch still provides fishermen with a decent income. Income from mackerel not only helps families cover living expenses and invest in production but also motivates them to go out to sea, preserve their profession, and protect the sea.

Source: https://baolamdong.vn/cao-diem-vu-ca-nam-ngu-dan-lam-ong-trung-dam-391706.html