Harvesting 'gifts from nature' on Ba Be Lake

For many years, numerous households living along the shores of Ba Be Lake in Ba Be commune have been dedicated to fishing. For these people, the abundant aquatic resources in the lake are a gift from nature, providing them with additional income and a stable livelihood. Fishing is not only a means of survival but has also become a familiar part of the lives of the people living along the lake.

Fishing on Ba Be Lake has long been a part of the lives of the local people.

Whenever the weather is favorable and the lake is calm, the people of Pac Ngoi village, Ba Be commune, take advantage of the opportunity to prepare their nets, traps, and other fishing gear to go down to the lake to catch fish. The nets are cast into the deep blue water and then pulled up full of fish, shrimp, and prawns, creating a lively atmosphere of work. For many years, fishing on Ba Be Lake has provided the local people with a stable income.

Around 4 p.m., as the sun was setting, Ms. Hua Thi Tham, a resident of Pac Ngoi village, rowed us out onto the lake to witness the fishing scene firsthand. The vast lake stretched out before us, each gentle stroke of the oar carrying us closer to the area where the villagers were casting their nets. The first person we met was Mr. Hua Van Tuyen, also from Pac Ngoi village, carefully untangling sections of nets he had just pulled up from the lake.

While working, Mr. Tuyen shared: "I've been involved in fishing on Ba Be Lake for over 20 years. Previously, my family relied solely on a few acres of rice paddies for our livelihood. As tourism gradually developed, I chose this profession to make a living, improve our lives, and I've stuck with it until now. The work is hard, but it provides extra income."

To learn more, we met Mr. Duong Van Sao, a villager from the same hamlet who was also fishing not far away. While pulling the oar to anchor his boat, he shared about his daily work: "Around 3 pm, I prepare the floats, boat, nets, and then row out to the lake to choose a suitable spot to cast my nets. I return around 2-3 am the next morning to collect the nets. If the weather is calm, I can catch about 20 kg of fish each night. Small minnows sell to traders at the dock for about 30,000 VND/kg, and retail at the market for 40,000 VND/kg. Carp, however, fetch a higher price, around 100,000 VND/kg. Thanks to this profession, my family has a stable additional income."

The abundant aquatic resources in Ba Be Lake are a "gift from heaven" bestowed upon the people of the lake region.

Today, with the development of tourism around Ba Be Lake, many households have engaged in service businesses to improve their livelihoods. However, many families still maintain fishing as an additional source of income. Thanks to the vibrant tourism industry, seafood caught from the lake is also more readily available for sale; traders come directly to the docks to purchase the catch, so the locals no longer have to struggle to sell it at the market as before.

Carp, minnows, tilapia, shrimp, prawns… from Ba Be Lake therefore always have a stable market and have become familiar ingredients in many dishes favored by tourists. During the flood season, fishing activities on the lake become even more bustling.

Through our conversation with Ms. Hua Thi Tham, we learned that in recent years, fishing on the lake has become an important source of income for many households in the commune. Notably, the people still adhere to traditional methods, using nets, traps, and seines for fishing, absolutely avoiding explosives, harmful chemicals, or electric shock, and limiting fishing during the breeding season.

Tourism at Ba Be Lake has developed, and many households have switched to service industries, but the traditional fishing occupation is still maintained by the locals. Each haul of nets not only provides a stable income for the people but also contributes to preserving the unique cultural characteristics and long-standing customs of the Tay ethnic group living along the shores of Ba Be Lake.

Source: https://baothainguyen.vn/dat-va-nguoi-thai-nguyen/202509/danh-bat-loc-troi-tren-ho-ba-be-6f84444/