Fresh seafood is in high demand, Nghe An fishermen stay at sea during the holidays

Clip: Xuan Hoang

From around 12 noon to early afternoon, when the Lach Van River rises with the tide, boats line up to dock one after another in the excitement of the fishermen. Fresh batches of fish, squid, shrimp, and crabs, many of which are still alive, are immediately rushed to the dock by traders and tourists.

Lach Van fishing port in Bich Ngoc commune, Dien Chau district is bustling during the long holiday of April 30 and May 1. Photo: Xuan Hoang

Amidst the blazing early summer sun, the faces of the fishermen after a night of fishing still seemed to radiate joy.

As soon as the boat reached the shore, Mr. Nguyen Van Hoai (Ngoc Bich commune) excitedly said: “The trip from 1am to 12pm back to the fishing port, I caught more than 200kg of fish, squid, and shrimp of all kinds. The selling price of fresh seafood during the holidays increased dramatically, some doubled, so after deducting expenses, the profit was nearly 5 million VND. This season has favorable weather and right on the occasion of the holidays, so every trip to sea is favorable and profitable. Before that, to stay at sea smoothly during the holidays, the family carefully repaired and maintained the fishing boat.”

Fishermen happily transport seafood to shore. Photo: Xuan Hoang

Sharing the joy, fisherman Tran Sy Long shared: “I caught more than 15kg of crabs, nearly 20kg of squid and many other types of fish. Traders bought them all right at the port at a much higher price than usual. There was no haggling over the price, and they sold very quickly, without having to transport them far.”

Fishermen said: For nearly a week now, there have been many tourists coming back, all restaurants have called to place orders early, so when the boat arrives at the dock, there are people waiting. Thanks to favorable weather and stable prices, fishermen make a profit on every trip.

Seafood is purchased by traders right at the fishing port. Photo: Xuan Hoang

Ms. Nguyen Thi Tham, a seafood trader at Lach Van Fishing Port, said: “At this time, all types of seafood have increased sharply in price, due to high consumption. Squid costs about 200,000 - 350,000 VND/kg, shrimp 500,000 - 550,000 VND/kg, mantis shrimp 180,000 VND/kg, crab from 250,000 - 400,000 VND/kg... Due to high demand, but the catch is not much, so "supply cannot meet demand". To buy good products, we have to go to the port from late morning, to catch the first boats. Every day, we collect about 1 - 2 tons of goods, double the usual amount, but sometimes it is still not enough to supply restaurants and hotels in the area."

Fishermen said that during this long holiday, the price of all seafood has increased sharply, including mantis shrimp from 120,000 to 180,000 VND/kg. Photo: Xuan Hoang

According to statistics, Dien Chau district currently has nearly 400 fishing boats and nearly 300 rafts fishing inshore. During this year's tourist season, seafood prices increased by an average of 8-10% compared to last month, helping to increase fishermen's income.

Mr. Le The Hieu - Deputy Head of the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Dien Chau district commented: "During long holidays, fresh seafood is often in high demand and has good prices. This is a positive signal, not only stimulating consumption but also motivating people to go offshore, stick to the sea, and maintain production pace."

Freshly caught fish costs 80,000 VND/kg. Photo: Xuan Hoang

According to Mr. Ngo Xuan Thuy - Manager of Lach Van Fishing Port, during the holiday week, there are about 50 - 60 boats arriving at the port every day, the catch is not large, but the advantage of fresh seafood is that it sells out during the holiday. The fishing port operates at full capacity to support fishermen in loading, transporting and preserving seafood after harvest. Immediately after fishermen consume all the seafood, the port staff will clean up.

“We constantly update information on weather, fish flows, and market prices so that fishermen can proactively plan their production. Thanks to that, fishing activities take place safely and effectively,” said Mr. Thuy.

Not only Dien Chau district, but also other coastal localities of Nghe An such as Quynh Xuan, Quynh Lap (Hoang Mai town), Nghi Thiet (Nghi Loc district) or Nghi Hai, Nghi Thuy, Nghi Hoa wards (Vinh city), seafood exploitation activities are also very vibrant. The long holiday has stimulated the demand for fresh seafood, especially from domestic tourists and coastal seafood restaurants.

Traders buy seafood right at the fishing port. Photo: Xuan Hoang

Not only does it help increase output and exploitation value, the “seasonal” of the tourism industry also creates a spillover effect, contributing to stabilizing the livelihoods of thousands of coastal fishermen. With these positive signals, Nghe An fishermen expect to have a prosperous fishing season, making up for the difficulties in the first months of the year due to erratic weather./.

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Source: https://baonghean.vn/hai-san-tuoi-song-dat-khach-ngu-dan-nghe-an-bam-bien-xuyen-ky-nghi-le-10296449.html