Fishing with a Trawl

Along the Thu Bon River, flowing through Hoi An to Cua Dai , or on the Co Co River, one often sees large fishing nets fixed in the water to catch various types of aquatic life. This tool, called a "raft net" in Northern and Central Vietnam, is known as a "ro cho" in Quang Nam . The local fishing method involves using a rotating net.

Spend a day following author Do Anh Vu as he experiences "Fishing with a Trawl Net." This is a series of photos submitted by the author to the "Happy Vietnam" photo and video contest , organized by the Ministry of Information and Communications .

The practice of "rớ chồ" (a type of fishing net) has existed in Hoi An for a very long time. Previously, people used hemp nets, but nowadays they use nylon nets because they are soft, durable, and resistant to sun, rain, and brackish water. "Rớ chồ" are fixed in deep water areas on rivers with large, open water surfaces; therefore, we often see them concentrated in main rivers or wide tributaries.

"Rớ chồ" refers to a fishing hut, a term used in the dialects of Da Nang and Quang Nam provinces. Fishermen drive their boats to the fishing area for about 25 minutes and anchor about 70 meters from the "rớ chồ," then launch composite rafts to reach the hut. They begin casting their nets into the sea, connecting lights from a power source located on the larger boat.

The fishing net is made of a large net, approximately 80 to 130 square meters in size. The four corners of the net are secured by four large bamboo poles driven into the riverbed and connected to a rotating shaft mounted on a watchtower via a long winch system.

The net is pulled up after being submerged in water, with shrimp and fish neatly inside. Fishermen row their boats and perform body movements to get into the net (Figure 1).

Next, they pull the net, using a 2-meter-long stick to stir the net, gathering the shrimp and fish and draining the water inside. Then, they gather the shrimp and fish to the holes pre-arranged in the net so that they fall into the basket below.

Shrimp and fish are caught after one trawling operation.

This type of fishing is not unique to Quang Nam; it can also be found in other provinces like Phu Yen and Binh Dinh, which have many lagoons, estuaries, and large rivers.

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