The specialty needlefish dish is selling out fast.

Needlefish live in freshwater but are selective about their habitat. They only live in clear, clean water free from pollution, which is why they are currently found in large numbers in the Ham Thuan - Da Mi and Ham Thuan Bac reservoirs in Binh Thuan province .

Preparing needlefish is quite elaborate. Photo: N.Lân

by fishing boat

Get up and come to the boat, brother.

What! It's only 2 AM, why did you say yesterday that we wouldn't leave until 4 AM?

Yes, last night Mr. Minh, the director, said that the fish were selling out fast, so we had to leave earlier than usual to increase our catch...

Oh my! It was bone-chillingly cold on Ham Thuan - Da Mi Lake. Patches of fog and mist swirled above the lake, creating shapes like a mystical painting. The headlights of the small boat shattered the peaceful tranquility of the lake. With just five minutes of preparation, and not forgetting to put on a thick, double-layered windbreaker, plus a scarf and hat to cover my head, I stepped into the boat with the Chắt brothers to catch mudskippers.

Fishing village at Ham Thuan Lake catches needlefish. Photo by Trinh Cong Thuan.

The small boat, with its triangular net frame at the bow that could be raised and lowered, was ready to set sail. The wind whipped up moisture, chilling my face, much like the cold spells in Hanoi and the northern provinces. While there was no snow on Ham Thuan-Da Mi Lake, there was a hazy mist, so even while fishing, I was lost in thought, captivated by the beautiful scenery of mountains, forests, and lakes illuminated by the boat's headlights. As the boat sped along, I heard Chắt's brother order: "Lower the net! The fish are swimming toward the center of the lake!" Immediately, Chắt's younger brother lowered the net and sped the boat into the center of the school of fish. After only 3 meters, Chắt ordered again: "Raise the net! Gather the fish!" I stood there, not understanding what was happening, when I saw the two brothers scooping fish from the net into a specialized container. The first catch yielded about 5 kg. Chắt said joyfully, "Today we've hit a good fish school, we should get three times as much as usual." As predicted, in just two hours on the lake, Chắt and his brothers caught over 20 kg of needlefish. While enjoying a successful catch, Chắt turned the boat back towards shore. I was quite surprised and asked him, "Why aren't you catching more?" His body drenched in water, his voice hoarse with cold steam, Chắt replied, "If there's too much, we won't be able to process it quickly enough, and the fish won't be of good quality. So this is already a lot, brother..."

The needlefish has a slender, finger-sized body, and its flesh is translucent white, similar to the scad found in coastal waters. It's easily recognizable by its long, pincer-like mouth, hence the name "needlefish," also known as "pincerfish" in some places. The fish lives on the water's surface, feeding primarily on plankton and algae. Because it lives in clean water, its flesh is almost odorless, very sweet, and has a distinctive aroma unlike other freshwater fish. The fish reproduce quickly, with the peak fishing season from April to October each year, when there is abundant rainfall and food is plentiful. Mr. Nguyen Chatt, a specialist in catching and processing needlefish, explains: "Because the fish are small and live on the water's surface, catching them with nets like other fish is ineffective. After much research, my family invented a method of catching needlefish using a scoop net attached to the front of a motorboat. Catching needlefish is also very meticulous; it requires choosing the right time when the fish are feeding most actively for effective fishing." During the day, the fish swim on the surface but are very timid; they dive deep into the lake at the slightest sound of water disturbance. Therefore, you have to wait until 3-4 AM, 7-8 PM, or when it gets dark for the fish to feed in schools to catch a full haul. Each day, his family only catches 5-7 kg of fresh fish, on the best days they get about 10 kg.

Fishing boats for mudskippers on Ham Thuan Lake. Photo: Trinh Cong Thuan

New specialty of Ham Thuan Bac

Besides the difficulty of catching them, the processing of dried needlefish is even more elaborate. Because the fish are only the size of a finger, filleting them requires patience and the help of 2-3 people working quickly to maintain the fish's freshness. The processing time is considered crucial to the quality and deliciousness of the fish. The fish are filleted while still alive because if they die or are processed too long, they will spoil, and the dried fish will have an unpleasant smell and lose its original sweetness and aroma. After catching the fish, the heads, guts, and fins are removed, then the fish is split in half lengthwise, washed, soaked in diluted salt water, and then dried in the sun for 1-2 days. At this point, the fish will look white and quite appealing…

Freshly caught needlefish can be used to make a salad, mixed with various herbs and wild vegetables, and a little sweet and sour fish sauce – simply delicious. For sun-dried fish, just put it in the oven for 2 minutes and it's ready to eat. If frying, just 20 seconds in hot oil will give you a golden, crispy finish. Fried fish can be dipped in chili sauce, soy sauce, or fish sauce. A plate of needlefish with chili sauce for dinner is simply unbeatable. And for those who like to snack, this is a favorite dish because the fried fish is still crispy but tender, with a slightly sweet taste and a very fragrant aroma – everyone loves it.

Because the mudskipper fish is currently caught in the wild and not farmed, the quantity is still limited. Meanwhile, market demand for dried mudskipper fish, a local specialty, is very strong. In the province, only the Ham Thuan - Da Mi fishing village on the lake produces this product. Da Mi Tourism Investment and Development Joint Stock Company has guaranteed the purchase of the product from the fishing village to help people living on the lake have a stable income. The dried mudskipper fish packaged and sold by the company is of high quality, making it very popular with domestic tourists.

These days, needlefish are selling out fast, and the story of how needlefish have become a sought-after delicacy is quite coincidental. Mr. Mai Van Minh – Director of Da Mi Tourism Investment and Development Joint Stock Company said: “I didn't expect dried needlefish to be so popular. The company tried to stock up for Tet (Lunar New Year), but customers from Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and other provinces and cities unexpectedly bought large quantities, leaving the company unable to keep up… Needlefish used to be caught by fishermen for casual consumption, and no one paid much attention to them, even though they were very delicious. One time in early 2023, I offered sun-dried, crispy fried needlefish with chili sauce to a group of tourists from Hanoi who were sightseeing on the lake. Unexpectedly, they praised the taste and placed orders. At that time, no one thought about processing needlefish into a commercial product, so I experimented with making it to meet customer orders and to provide fish for tourists visiting the lake. Then, after groups of tourists from Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and other provinces and cities across the country started spreading the word about crispy fried needlefish from Ham Thuan Lake. And that's how it all started.” In recent months, it has sold very well and has naturally become a new specialty of Ham Thuan Bac and Binh Thuan, traveling throughout Vietnam…

Therefore, the fishermen in Da Mi commune are very happy because they have a better income than in previous years thanks to catching and processing needlefish. Currently, the supply is quite scarce, so the fishermen are increasing their fishing and processing efforts, but dried needlefish still cannot meet the market's demand...

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