Fishing using light

Vinh Thai commune in Vinh Linh district has long been known for its traditional fishing occupations such as: building bamboo boats, diving for lobsters, and setting traps for squid... In recent years, fishermen in Vinh Thai have introduced, improved, and developed new fishing methods using lights and gillnets. Thanks to this fishing industry, many families here have gradually risen out of poverty and achieved a more prosperous life.

Fishing with light

In late December, the weather was cold and rainy. Along the coastal villages of Vinh Thai commune, small, traditional wooden boats lay stretched out on the sand, waiting for the sun to come out. Nguyen Quang, the deputy head of the Thai Lai village Farmers' Association, lives just a few hundred meters from the coast. Quang is a skilled and well-known fisherman in the area. Previously, he specialized in building wooden and composite boats for fishermen in the province and engaged in traditional fishing methods such as net fishing, shrimp trawling, and trap fishing. He is also a pioneer in transitioning to a new method – fishing using light.

Fishing using light

Mr. Nguyen Quang inspects the generator and lighting system - Photo: TT

When we arrived, the sea was rough, so Mr. Quang was home. Inside the warehouse, he was carefully inspecting and cleaning the generator, LED lights, incandescent bulbs, and other equipment. Seeing me watching intently, he smiled kindly: “This generator and lighting system are worth about 15 million dong. They are very effective for fishing. It’s a new profession for fishermen in Thai Lai. This season, the sea is rough, so I have to dismantle the generator and lighting system and bring them up to the warehouse for safekeeping; leaving them on the boat would ruin them. When the weather is sunny and the sea calms down again, I can bring them back down to the boat and reassemble them for fishing.”

Through my research, I learned that in 2020, Mr. Quang bought a small generator and three incandescent light bulbs, each with a power of 1,000-1,500W. He connected the generator to the engine on his boat via a belt. The three high-pressure lamps were installed on the side of the boat. To practice fishing using light, Mr. Quang also acquired several large fishing nets (with handles about 2m long and nets about 1m in diameter).

The fishing method using lights primarily targets anchovies, scad, and other small fish, and lasts from March to July of the lunar calendar each year. During this time, the southwest wind brings warmth, the waves are calm, and the sea is clear. In the middle of the night, the light emitted from high-powered lamps attracts anchovies, scad, and other small fish. When the fish approach the boat, Mr. Quang and his crew use nets to scoop them up and pour them into large, prepared containers.

Their work continues until the barrels are full of fish, then they bring the boat ashore. If they hit a large school of fish, a boat can catch several hundred kilograms of fish per trip. To catch this type of fish, the fishermen of Thai Lai village don't look for schools in the narrow sea area, but instead venture to more distant fishing grounds, such as the border area with Le Thuy district, Quang Binh province, or into My Thuy sea, Hai Lang district.

Mr. Quang said that last year he invested in two more high-power LED lighting systems to replace his two incandescent bulbs, saving electricity, and providing better durability and lighting efficiency. Currently, he uses one incandescent bulb and two LED lighting systems on his boat with a total lighting power of 2,500W. “Since I switched to LED lights, I've caught more fish because the light intensity is better, and LEDs are durable and last longer, saving me money. However, I still keep one incandescent bulb on the boat to maintain light during the fish gathering process.”

According to Mr. Quang, fishing with lights yields significantly higher economic returns than traditional methods. On average, Mr. Quang harvests 5-6 tons of fresh fish of various types each season. These small fish have high nutritional value and are popular in the market, so their prices are relatively stable, and traders come to buy them directly at the dock. Therefore, after each season, he earns about 150-170 million VND, while the costs are quite low. Currently, out of 60 boats in Thai Lai village, 40, with over 100 fishermen, are engaged in fishing with lights.

Continue to develop in multiple sectors.

Leaving Thai Lai village, we arrived at the home of fisherman Ngo The Tien in Tan Mach village. Mr. Tien is one of the pioneers in transitioning to new occupations, introducing the fishing method using gillnets. For about three years now, gillnet fishing has flourished in Tan Mach village, with many other boats adopting it and achieving high efficiency.

Fishing using light

Fishermen in Vinh Thai commune catch catfish at night - Photo: TT

With the drift net, he casts it around 6 a.m., pulls it up the next morning to remove the fish, and then casts the net back down to sea. Drift net fishing takes place about 2-3 nautical miles from the shore. Drift net fishing can be done year-round and is much more profitable than other traditional net fishing methods.

According to Nguyen Huu Thanh, Chairman of the Farmers' Association of Vinh Thai commune, six out of seven villages in Vinh Thai commune are engaged in fishing. Of these six villages, four have strongly developed the fishing and aquaculture industry: Thai Lai, Tan Mach, Dong Luat, and Tan Hoa. For generations, fishermen in Vinh Thai have relied on the sea for their livelihood through traditional methods such as diving for lobsters, shrimp paste making, squid trawling, herring fishing, and gillnet fishing. In recent years, fishermen have boldly invested in upgrading their boats and purchasing fishing gear to develop new methods such as light-based fishing and gillnet fishing.

Fishing using light

Vinh Thai Beach - Photo: T. TUYEN

The entire commune currently has 206 small boats with engine capacities ranging from 8 to 24 horsepower. Thanks to diversified occupations, investment in machinery improvements, purchase of fishing gear, and diligent work, the total seafood catch in the commune in 2023 reached 1,100 tons, exceeding the planned target (900 tons), estimated at 25 billion VND.

“This proves that the fishing industry is developing well, and maritime security is ensured. In the coming time, we will continue to support, encourage, and motivate members and fishermen in the area to boldly invest in improving old fishing methods and developing new ones to gradually improve their income, enhance their quality of life, and strive to become wealthy in their homeland,” Mr. Nguyen Huu Thanh further emphasized.

Tran Tuyen

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