The craft of weaving and mending fishing nets.

In coastal villages, where canals and estuaries flow into the sea, and boats and ships frequently enter, leave, and anchor, it's not uncommon to see groups of people sitting on the porches of their houses or under fishing net shelters, their hands busily weaving and mending nets.

Along the Xáng Xẻo Rô canal, in the An Biên commune area, there are 6-7 fishing net workshops located close together along the bank. These days, the number of fishing boats entering the harbor is not large because most have just finished their first fishing trip of the year. However, some boats are still taking advantage of the opportunity to dock to repair their fishing gear, creating jobs for those who mend nets. According to Mr. Nguyen Van Hung, the manager of a fishing net workshop in this area, although many types of nets are now woven by machine, they still need to be repaired, joined, or patched before going out to sea. During peak season, the workshop employs 20-30 workers aged 25 to over 60, from various places such as Rach Gia, Chau Thanh, Tay Yen, An Minh, etc. This profession has no formal training schools; it is mainly passed down through hands-on instruction from experienced workers.

Net weavers and menders work at the Xeo Ro canal. Photo: BAO TRAN

Under the corrugated iron roofs of the fishing net shelters, groups of women sit together. Before them are spools of fishing thread, net needles, and nets spread out on the floor. Their hands move swiftly, threading the needle through the mesh, sometimes twisting the thread, sometimes tying knots; their feet pull the net taut. In just a few dozen seconds, a tear the size of three fingers is mended, and the mesh is tightly closed again. The work is repetitive but requires skill and patience, and is mostly done by women. Some weave new nets, others mend torn ones. The daily wage is approximately 220,000 - 270,000 VND per person, depending on the type of net and the work performed.

As one of the oldest workers at the fishing net repair camp, Ms. Tran Thi Ut (63 years old), residing in Rach Gia ward, has been involved in net mending for over 40 years. Every day, she drives from her home to the camp to work, bringing a pre-cooked lunch. According to Ms. Ut, the craft of weaving and mending nets in coastal areas has a long history, closely linked to the development of the fisheries industry. Many families have a tradition of doing this for generations. She also learned the trade from her mother when she was only in her teens. Initially, she only helped untangle nets and twist threads; gradually, she became skilled and could mend small tears, then weave large nets. "Before, the wages were only a few tens of thousands of dong per day, and I had to sit directly on the boat to repair nets. Now the wages are much better, and I can work in the camp, which is cooler and more convenient," Ms. Ut shared.

Besides seasoned workers, the fishing net workshops also have young people continuing the trade. Ms. Huynh Thanh Ngan (30 years old), residing in Tay Yen commune, has been working in the fishing net making profession for over 5 years. Initially, she learned the trade from a relative, and after becoming skilled, she worked at many fishing net workshops in the area. Ms. Ngan said that net mending is a year-round job, but it's busiest when fishing boats have just finished a long trip and dock to repair their nets, preparing for a new fishing trip. "It looks simple, but when you start doing it, you realize how difficult it is. Mending nets requires finding the exact tear, untangling the knots, and then re-weaving each mesh to match the old mesh. Sitting for a long time makes my back ache, but the advantage is that it's cool and comfortable, I don't have to travel far, and the income is stable," Ms. Ngan said.

As the sun rose high and a cool breeze blew in from the sea, the fishing camps along the shore buzzed with lively conversation. In the hands of the fishermen, new meshes were gradually formed, and tears were carefully mended. These nets would then be taken out to sea by boats and ships, cast into the ocean to catch the fish and shrimp of the new fishing season. Behind every fishing trip, there were still hands silently weaving together the meshes – quietly keeping the rhythm of the fishing industry and a traditional craft that has endured through the years.

BAO TRAN

Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/nghe-dan-va-luoi-a478955.html