The hold was full of big fish.
Early in the morning, standing by the Hau River, boats and canoes swiftly cut through the water, docking to unload fish for weighing and selling to traders. Seeing fishermen carrying nets full of large toadfish and carp to the market, we were astonished. Mr. Nguyen Van Lanh (58 years old), a fisherman specializing in three-layered nets on the river, said that during this season, toadfish feed at night, so he waits for the tides to cast his nets and catch them. On a good night, he catches over 10 kg of toadfish, each weighing 2-3 kg. Currently, traders buy this type of fish for between 100,000 and 120,000 VND per kg. Some days, Mr. Lanh earns millions of dong.
Large toadfish are caught in large numbers by local fishermen using nets on the Hau River. Photo: THANH CHINH
To date, Mr. Lanh has earned his living by fishing for over 20 years. He considers the tranquil Hau River his source of income, exploiting fish and shrimp to support his family. Mr. Lanh recounts that in the past, this section of the Hau River was teeming with fish and shrimp. Whenever the water receded and the fields dried up, people from all over would come to this section of the Hau River to cast nets and catch toadfish, carp, catfish... and even large giant catfish. "The section of the river bordering Cho Moi and Long Xuyen always had big fish. Some people cast nets, others threw seines, catching boats full of fish. Back then, fish and shrimp were dirt cheap, and people ate fish every day until they got tired of it. But now, fish are scarce and sell for a high price, so people have a decent income," Mr. Lanh said.
Pointing to a section of the river where fish are abundant, Mr. Lanh explained that this stretch of river is wide, providing many fish shelters. In recent years, locals have invested in three-layered nets, which they cast from one bank to the other, catching a large number of fish. Sometimes, Mr. Lanh is lucky enough to catch spotted catfish or other large carp, earning millions of dong. "From now until Tet (Lunar New Year), this river will have plenty of delicious fish. Every night, I harvest nearly 10 large toadfish and silver carp. This section of the river has floating fish farms run by locals, so the fish resources are more abundant than elsewhere," Mr. Lanh said.
In the deep river, we saw Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Loi (54 years old) busily loading his fishing net onto his boat. Near the shore, he unexpectedly caught several large toadfish wriggling their tails on the net. When we asked him about it, Mr. Loi said loudly, "This season the wind blows strongly, it's cold, but there are a lot of fish. The key to success in this fishing profession is knowing how to 'read' the river's current, knowing when the fish are coming to cast your nets." Then Mr. Loi revealed that there aren't many fish during the day. At night, when the tide recedes and flows downstream, that's when the fish swim at the surface of the river, and Mr. Loi steers his small, wobbly boat to cast his nets. To signal other boats not to get caught in his nets, Mr. Loi ties flashing lights to the river.
Having experience in fishing, Mr. Loi is very familiar with the depths and shallows of the Hau River. Not only that, he's also known as a notorious "fish killer." Just by observing the water and the wind, Mr. Loi can tell whether there are many or few fish. This season, Mr. Loi has caught a lot of delicious fish with his nets.
Bustling on the river
Traveling along the Hau River, you'll see fishing boats and trawlers slowly making their way to catch fish. Around midday, we passed a trawling village in the riverside area of Binh My commune, where locals were carrying basins of fish from the riverbank to sell. Stopping to buy some fish, we found a variety of delicious fish such as catfish, carp, tilapia, snakehead, and small shrimp and prawns still wriggling. Because the fish were caught directly without intermediaries, the prices were lower than at the market. They sold out within a few hours. If you arrived early, you might be able to buy live tilapia or fresh catfish weighing 2-3 kg.
Crossing the Nang Gu ferry, we traveled along the banks of the Hau River, then turned onto the Vam Nao River. For a long time, this river has been known as a freshwater "fish haven." Every day, locals bring their nets and fishing gear to the river, creating a bustling scene. Standing on the banks of the Vam Nao River, Mr. Nguyen Van Hanh (Bay Hanh, 65 years old), who makes a living by casting nets, confidently asserted that the river still has a considerable number of fish and shrimp sheltering there. In the past, during the flood season, the Vam Nao River flowed swiftly and swirled violently, creating white foam, making boats and canoes afraid to enter. But for the people who make their living from fishing, this river is their daily source of livelihood.
Mr. Bay Hanh recounted that whenever the east wind came, he would paddle his boat out onto the Vam Nao River and catch many spotted catfish. At this time of year, spotted catfish are caught in nets sporadically. In December of the lunar calendar, the river would have more spotted catfish. However, in recent years, the number of spotted catfish here has decreased sharply, not as abundant as before. “Last year I only caught a few, and then, for some reason, spotted catfish in this section of the river became increasingly rare. Currently, I and other locals here catch anchovies and minnows to dry and sell to traders in Ho Chi Minh City,” Mr. Bay Hanh said.
Continuing along the riverbank, we met Mr. Le Minh Son (53 years old), a veteran fisherman in the Vam Nao area. His stilt house faces the head of the Vam Nao River. Every day, he witnesses countless people fishing on the river. Having been a fisherman for over 30 years, Mr. Son vividly remembers the days spent navigating this stretch of river. He said that Vam Nao is a familiar name to the locals and a "lifeline" for many poor people. In the past, every morning at dawn, many small boats would rush back with delicious fish, and Mr. Son couldn't weigh them fast enough. Now, the number of boats and canoes casting nets has decreased due to the scarcity of large fish.
Currently, Mr. Son mainly buys catfish, carp, tilapia, shrimp, etc. “Small fish seem to be available year-round in the Vam Nao River area. At dawn, I weigh the fish from the locals, then transport them to markets in Long Xuyen ward to resell to traders. More than 20 years ago, I could still buy giant catfish weighing over 10kg, but now natural giant catfish in this section of the river are becoming increasingly rare,” Mr. Son confided.
As the year draws to a close, the southerly wind softens, and the harsh sun shines directly down on the river, reflecting the lives of the fishermen. Following the cycle of life, the beautiful Mekong River always embraces and shelters countless people who drift along its waters.
THANH CHINH
Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/mua-khai-thac-ca-song-a471297.html
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