Catching tuna with gillnets

Việt Nam•13/06/2024

( Quang Ngai Newspaper) - Because catching tuna by hand is inefficient, many fishermen in Pho Chau commune (Duc Pho town) have flexibly switched to catching tuna with gillnets.

Tuna fishing is a traditional occupation of fishermen in Pho Chau commune. About five years ago, tuna fishing in Pho Chau fishing village was very prosperous. Many boat owners made a fortune, acquiring many large-capacity vessels specializing in tuna fishing. The lives of many families became more comfortable. However, in recent years, tuna fishing has been declining.

According to the assessment of the People's Committee of Pho Chau commune, from the beginning of 2024 until now, tuna fishermen have only achieved success on the fishing trips after Tet (Lunar New Year), while other trips have resulted in losses or even losses, causing many boats to remain docked. To preserve the traditional fishing method, many boat owners have switched from hand-line tuna fishing to using gillnets.

The entire Pho Chau commune currently has 170 fishing vessels, with a total capacity of nearly 92,000 horsepower (CV). Of these, 143 vessels have a capacity of 90CV or more, exceeding 91,000CV; 27 vessels have a capacity of less than 90CV. 141 of these vessels are engaged in catching ocean tuna (using handline and gillnet fishing). The total seafood catch for the commune in the first five months of 2024 reached over 3,400 tons.

Fisherman Le Van Phap, owner of fishing boat QNg 98958 TS, from Vinh Tuy village, Pho Chau commune, shared: "Previously, my boat specialized in catching tuna by hand. Back then, the marine resources were abundant, so every trip out to sea was profitable. In recent years, the fishing grounds have shrunk, causing a significant decrease in catch. I saw that fishermen in other provinces were catching tuna with gillnets and it was more effective, so I switched to this method. After the switch, the fishing efficiency increased by 30%."

Recognizing that gillnet fishing is a suitable option for current fishing conditions, fisherman Le Thanh Hong, from Vinh Tuy village, Pho Chau commune, recently decided to invest billions of VND to upgrade and convert from handline fishing to gillnet fishing. Mr. Hong shared, "I have two boats specializing in catching tuna. I just invested over 1.2 billion VND to upgrade one handline fishing boat to gillnet fishing. Besides catching tuna, gillnet fishing also catches many other valuable large fish such as mackerel and swordfish. Having a large boat with a powerful engine is necessary for efficient fishing, allowing for longer offshore fishing, larger catch capacity, and better quality seafood upon arrival at shore, thus fetching higher prices."

The shift from hand-line tuna fishing to gillnet fishing has proven effective, but the investment costs are high, making it unaffordable for many boat owners. Currently, out of 141 tuna fishing vessels in Pho Chau commune, fewer than 10 have switched to gillnet fishing. “To switch from hand-line to gillnet, boat owners have to spend billions of dong to upgrade their vessels and invest in larger nets. Most fishermen here borrow money from banks to upgrade, modify, or build new boats to venture further out to sea. However, interest rates are still high, so borrowing large sums of money makes repayment difficult,” said Mr. Le Minh Hong, owner of fishing vessel QNg 94183TS.

According to Le Van Thai, Chairman of the People's Committee of Pho Chau commune, in recent years, many fishermen in the commune have invested in upgrading and modifying their fishing boats to improve their fishing capacity. However, the high cost of upgrading and changing occupations has caused difficulties for the fishermen. The local government hopes that the State will continue to provide policies on low-interest loans for fishermen to invest in developing their fishing activities, contributing to the socio -economic development of the locality.

Text and photos: HONG HOA

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