Fishing net in the north wind season

In Binh Thuan province , during the northerly wind season, fishermen from Phan Thiet go out to sea in their basket boats at midnight to cast their nets, returning at dawn, earning about one million dong per trip.

At 6 a.m., Mr. Le Van Tu, 45 years old, a fisherman from Ham Tien ward, steered his basket boat to Da Ong Dia fish market. His nets were full of fish, so he called relatives to come to the dock to help untangle them so he could sell them that morning. His wife, son, and cousin arrived a few minutes later and busied themselves untangling the fish from the nets.

As soon as the fish were unloaded, waiting traders immediately gathered them into containers. This trip, the boat owner weighed nearly 50 kilograms, mostly small fish. Mr. Tu sold them at the dock to traders for 35,000 VND per kilogram for small fish and 40,000 VND per kilogram for large fish. After deducting fuel costs, he earned 1.7 million VND this trip. "I've been working hard these past few days, going further afield. I've caught a lot of fish and sold them at a good price, so my income is very stable," he said.

Mr. Le Van Tu (wearing a red cloth hat) and his relatives are removing fishing nets, morning of November 29. Photo: Tu Huynh. — Mr. Le Van Tu (wearing a red hat) and his relatives remove fishing nets at Da Ong Dia wharf, Phan Thiet city, on the morning of November 29. Photo: *Tu Huynh* .

According to this fisherman, during the south wind season, when the sea is calm, they only need to fish about one nautical mile from the shore. Currently, it is the north wind season (November to April), and very few schools of fish come ashore, so he and his colleagues have to sail their boats more than 3 nautical miles out to sea to catch fish. During this season, the wind is strong and the waves are big, so they have to go against the waves, and the boats move very slowly to ensure safety. "Leaving at midnight, it takes almost two hours to reach the fishing grounds," Mr. Tu said.

Nearby, Nguyen Van Loi, 28, a fisherman from Phu Hai ward, was also busily removing fish from his nets. Besides scad, his nets also caught many other types of fish such as anchovies, mackerel, and other species... All together, he caught over 20 kg. Although the quantity was small, he sold them for 35,000-50,000 VND per kilogram depending on the type. After deducting expenses, he earned over 700,000 VND.

After unloading the fish, Mr. Loi, like other fishermen at this dock, neatly folds the nets back into the boat, then returns home for lunch and rest. Around midnight, they wake up again and head back to sea to continue their journey, aiming to be back ashore by dawn to sell their catch to traders.

Freshly caught fish brought ashore. Photo: Tu Huynh — Freshly caught fish brought ashore in Phan Thiet are still incredibly fresh. Photo: *Tu Huynh*

Lợi learned the trade of fishing with a basket boat from his father. With limited capital, he could only afford a basket boat for fishing in nearby waters. A composite basket boat with an engine costing around 60 million VND, plus a net rig costing nearly 20 million VND, was the family's daily source of income.

According to Mr. Loi, the wind at sea is strong this season, making fishing at night in a small boat much more difficult than in other seasons. However, fish fetch almost double the price this season compared to other times, so young people often try to earn money to support their families. "Running out to sea in a small boat in the middle of the night, the wind is very cold, but you get used to it after a while," Mr. Loi said.

At Ong Dia rocky beach, there are about 100 fishing boats operating near the shore. During the south wind season, the boats are very busy, but after the north wind season, many people take a break to do other work. Hand-rowed boats and those used by older people usually rest during this season.

Panoramic view of Bai Da Ong Dia fishing port, Phan Thiet city. Photo: Tu Huynh — Ong Dia Rock Beach fishing port, Phan Thiet City. Photo: *Tu Huynh*

Ms. Nguyen Thi Ba, a fish buyer in Phan Thiet, said that during the north wind season, the waves are strong, and fewer boats go out to fish. The amount of fish reaching the markets is scarce, so the price of fish is higher than during the south wind season. Small fish like the common carp, silver carp, and other small species sold at the docks during the south wind season cost only about 20,000 VND per kilogram; but now they are 35,000-40,000 VND. The silver pomfret, normally priced at 40,000-50,000 VND, has now risen to 80,000-100,000 VND per kilogram...

"The fish caught in the nets on the same day are incredibly fresh, not left to sit for days like those caught by boats that fish further offshore, so they sell very well," said Mrs. Ba, adding that in addition to selling at local markets, some fish traders in Phan Thiet also pack the fish in boxes and ship them to Ho Chi Minh City, Binh Duong , Dong Nai, Da Lat, etc., for customers in distant areas who want to eat fresh fish.

Furthermore, recently, not only locals but also tourists visiting Phan Thiet often seek out the docks to buy netted fish packed in crates to take home. As a result, netted fish sold on the spot at docks such as Rang, Ong Dia rocky beach, Mui Ne embankment, etc., are always in high demand.