From the “five-colored lights” at the bottom of the sea…
On an old, modified wooden boat, fisherman Nguyen Van Tuan mounted a large battery on the side of the boat, talking while working: “Nowadays, when you go squid fishing, you have to bring a high-power LED light. Without light, you can’t see anything!”. The LED light, which was thought to be just a light to guide the way, is now a magical lure that draws squid from the bottom of the sea in streaks of sparkling white light.
From around April to August of the solar calendar every year, Quang Tri sea enters the season of “flashing squid, jumping squid”, two names that sound like bustling life. Jumping squid is live squid, jumping in the restaurant’s glass tank. Flashing squid is squid that has just come out of the water, its body still sparkling with light like a phosphorescent glow, looking like a miniature galaxy under the lights.
“To catch flashing and jumping squid, you need a strong light and eye-catching fake bait,” added fisherman Nguyen Van Thach from the same village. He took out a lead bar about the size of a thumb, wrapped in colorful cloth, with 6 hooks attached to one end and a fishing line attached to the other end. Under the cold white LED light, the lead bar flickered like a strange sea creature. It was the bright colors reflected in the water that fooled the squid’s vision, making them think it was real bait and rush in to hug it tightly with their tentacles.
On some other boats, fishermen use fishing tags, a type of bait shaped like shrimp or grasshoppers, woven from colored cloth, which when dropped into the water under the light will glow brightly. With just a skillful jerk of the hand, the squid will follow it to the surface of the water. With one hand pulling the tag, the other holding the net, the fishermen are like night stage artists, skillfully operating in the vast darkness.
Each squid caught is immediately released into a plastic tank containing seawater at the bow of the boat, which is equipped with an aerator to keep the squid alive until they reach shore. Each night, if lucky, fishermen can catch 5-10 kg of this type of squid, with traders buying it for 300-500 thousand VND/kg, a dream figure compared to many other fishing jobs.
To the "squid nests" and the mysteries of the sea
If squid fishing uses lights and artificial bait, “squid nest” fishing has a different aspect, both quiet and containing spiritual elements. “This profession is for those who have eyes for the sea, know how to see the waves, predict the water and read the ocean floor,” fisherman Le Van Duc in An Duc 1 ward, Cua Tung commune said firmly. “Squid nests, that is, clusters of spawning squid, gather in nests near the shore, only about 1-3 nautical miles from the shore. Squid nest season usually starts from May to September,” he explained.
To identify nests, fishermen rely on very specific signs. That is, when pulling the net close to shore and seeing seaweed covered with squid eggs, there is definitely a nest down there. When they see this sign, they drop lead anchors or rocks to mark the location, then call each other to set up boats to fish at night. There are no super bright LED lights, no need to go far out to sea. Just a little quietness, a little ingenuity and understanding the sea like understanding a relative.
However, there is one taboo that all fishermen know by heart. That is, if you are unlucky enough to catch a king squid, a large squid nearly 1 meter long, you must immediately release it back into the sea. Because if you keep it, the nest will dissolve, and next season there will be no more squid nesting there. "The king squid is like the mother of the whole school, you must not harm it. It is sacred, no one dares to violate it," Mr. Duc said, his eyes solemn and added: "Decades ago, nests of squid were easier to find. Any boat could catch several hundred kilograms each night, which was normal. But now, the sea is different. Super bright LED lights from large ships disturb the marine ecosystem, causing the squid to no longer gather in nests like before."
In the middle of the night sea, the fishing boat of fisherman Le Van Duc bobs. People quietly bend down to the light, their eyes straining to watch every small movement in the water. There are sounds of people grabbing tags, the sound of nets scooping up squid, the sound of squid splashing when falling into the bucket, a crisp sound like the signal of a golden season in the middle of the night sea. After learning, it is known that this profession is not too expensive. Just a 10-40CV motorboat is enough to go out to sea. Composite materials are light, durable, and waterproof, replacing traditional bamboo boats. LED lights are also cheap now, and the batteries last a long time, enough for a white night with squid...
As soon as the new day dawned, the fishing port of Cat Son village was bustling with laughter. Fishermen and traders stood along the wharf, plastic baskets and buckets in hand, watching each boat swaying back from the night sea. Live squid was immediately put into glass tanks of restaurants in Cua Tung, Cua Viet, and My Thuy, becoming a famous specialty, attracting many diners from far and wide.
In the midst of a busy life, flashing squid and jumping squid are not only a unique dish but also a part of the culture of the sea, a livelihood that supports hundreds of families along the coast of Quang Tri. The sleepless nights under the lights in the middle of the sea are not only labor but also the song of people who are resilient to the sea, living in harmony with the ocean and respecting sacred things...
Source: https://cand.com.vn/Phong-su-tu-lieu/dem-thuc-cung-mua-muc-nhay-muc-nhay-i776805/
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