Bustling Cua Tung fish market

No one knows when Cua Tung fish market was formed. In the distant memory of Mrs. Le Thi Diep (80 years old), in An Hoa village, Cua Tung commune, who has been attached to the market all her life, until the end of the 20th century, the fish market only had a few stalls, selling fresh seafood caught by fishermen in the commune during the day at the nearby reef, such as: shrimp, fish, squid, snails, various types of seaweed, seaweed, seaweed, seaweed, grapes, seaweed...

Because it is a sea market, the market's operating hours depend entirely on the fishermen's departure and arrival times. The market is only really crowded a few hours before nightfall. In the past, the owners of the shops in the market were mainly the wives and mothers of fishermen. Brave fishermen often say that their lives are attached to the sea and the sand, and that one day their bodies will be buried in the sand after years of struggling. The forgiving white sand will embrace the fishermen. Their souls will turn into grains of sand rustling under the casuarina trees, on the thorny cactus flowers, telling of the silent tears of many wives and mothers waiting wearily for their husbands and children to return after the storm.

A corner of Cua Tung fish market - Photo: SH

Cua Tung fish market officially became bustling and bustling since 2011, after being planned and built at a new location, close to the foot of Cua Tung bridge. The market quickly became a wholesale market, providing fresh seafood for the entire Northern region of Gio Linh district (old) and Vinh Linh district (old). The fish market is bustling with buyers and sellers with many dishes and seafood that can be said to be unique and rare "specialties".

Take for example the jelly cake, a dish that captivates the taste buds of many diners. After being picked from the rocks, the jelly must be washed with seawater, then soaked in salt water mixed with ginger, scooped out, drained, and then simmered with well water over a low heat. When cooking, the foam must be skimmed off thoroughly, otherwise the cake will bubble up, which is not pleasing to the eye. The concentrated, dark green jelly mixture is scooped into a mold lined with bai leaves, and solidifies into eye-catching moss green cakes. This type of cake is often dipped in shrimp paste with a rich sea flavor.

Seaweed covered with flying fish eggs is also a specialty of Cua Tung coastal area. Every early summer, flying fish often come to the reefs with lots of seaweed to lay eggs. When fishermen cast their nets to catch fish, shrimp, etc., they get caught in seaweed covered with flying fish eggs and bring them to the market to sell. People buy them, quickly put them in plastic baskets and dip them in clean water basins.

After shaking the wok several times to clean it thoroughly, place the basket of seaweed on a high place to drain. The pot of water is placed on the stove, when it starts to boil, add the seaweed and a little seasoning powder. After just a few minutes, the seaweed with flying fish eggs is just cooked, then scoop it onto a plate. This dish is usually dipped in chili fish sauce or chili salt...

Starting from March to August (solar calendar) every year, Cua Tung fish market sells a lot of flying fish, dragonfish, and dragonfish. Because at this time, around the Con Co fishing ground, schools of fish often appear, sparkling with silver light, soaring on the water surface as if playing with the roaring waves. Flying fish "know how to fly" on the sea surface thanks to their large, wide-spread pectoral fins that can escape predatory fish by jumping out of the water, then "flying" a few dozen meters above the sea surface. To get out of the water, flying fish often continuously and strongly wiggle their tails and then jump up about 1.2-1.5m high, then tilt their bodies slightly and spread their pectoral fins to "fly".

At the end of the “flight”, flying fish often fold their pectoral fins to “land” in the sea or dip their tails into the water surface to perform the next “flight”. Flying fish are often attracted to light, so fishermen in many other provinces often use electric lights to catch them at night. As for fishermen in Cua Tung commune, they catch flying fish during the day with pre-woven white fishing nets.

A variety of seafood is sold at Cua Tung fish market - Photo: Tran Tuyen

When the cold winds of winter still linger, along with the white foam from the sea blowing onto the shore, making the cold even more bitter, it still cannot stop the fishermen of Cua Tung commune from going out to sea. Because this is the season for needlefish, a fish that fishermen liken to "dragon-bodied sea fish" due to its long, silvery body and fins running along its spine. Needlefish are 1-1.2m long and weigh 1-2kg, so they have high economic value. This fish lives in the open sea at a depth of about 70-100m.

From November of the previous year until March (lunar calendar) of the following year, needlefish often appear in schools in the coastal waters. Fishermen often use super-tangled trawl nets to catch fish in the fishing grounds around Con Co Island. And this fish species is obviously "present" at Cua Tung fish market, along with hundreds of seafood species sold seasonally.

Chairman of Cua Tung Commune People's Committee Vo Duc Dien said that Cua Tung fish market is not only a place for trading but also a cultural beauty in the life of coastal fishermen, reflecting a rustic, simple life but full of human affection. So that those who are far from home, their hearts are filled with nostalgia for that bustling, noisy and loving atmosphere. When coming to Cua Tung, visitors can immerse themselves in the bustling crowd at the market, to feel more clearly the beat of their homeland in each cry, each smile and in the salty taste of the sea breeze.

Sy Hoang

Source: https://baoquangtri.vn/xa-hoi/202511/lao-xao-cho-ca-cua-tung-2c73374/