The job of mending fishing nets for hire attracts a large number of local laborers in La Gi.
After offshore fishing trips, upon returning, every boat usually has torn nets, to varying degrees. This is because during fishing, the nets can get caught on rocks, coral, or be damaged by waves... Therefore, to be ready for the next trip, within a few short days, they hire people to mend the nets.
And from then on, net mending became a livelihood for many people in the coastal area of La Gi. Because this work requires patience and meticulousness, most of the workers are women. To practice their trade, they form groups of 10 to 15 people. Whenever a boat returns, the boat owner calls them, and they quickly arrive to mend the nets. The work of these "net menders" usually starts from 7 am to 4 pm, with each person only taking a 30-minute lunch break before continuing their work. Depending on the condition of the net, the workers perform different tasks such as: re-tying the net edges, mending the net, attaching buoys, etc. Typically, it takes a group of workers 3 to 5 days to mend a fishing boat's nets. The wages for net mending are calculated daily, with each person earning an average of 250,000 VND per day.
According to those who mend fishing nets, it's an easy job to learn, but to become a skilled craftsman and be regularly called upon by boat owners, one must have a keen eye, meticulousness, and precision in every stitch. There are no formal training schools for this profession; it's mainly a matter of those who know teaching those who don't, a case of learning by doing, and practice leads to proficiency.
Making a living by mending fishing nets, Ms. Phan Thi Tuyet Loan from Ward 7, Phuoc Loc Commune, La Gi Town shared: “My husband is seriously ill, sometimes he can go to sea and sometimes he can't, so I have to take care of all the household chores. Everyone around me is kind and compassionate; when their nets are torn, they call me to mend them for them. That gives me the opportunity to earn extra income to support my children's education.”
Ms. Nguyen Thi Huong, residing in Ward 2, Binh Tan Commune, has also been mending fishing nets for 20 years. Ms. Huong shared: “This is the livelihood for my entire family. Fishermen in Binh Tan Commune go out to sea year-round and can live off the bounty of the sea, so my children and I also benefit from it. After each fishing trip, when the nets of boat owners get torn, they usually hire me and my children to mend them. That way, my family and I have work every day, providing us with extra income to support our daily lives.”
While meticulously mending fishing nets, Ms. Tran Thi Quyen from Ward 2, Phuoc Loc Commune, confided: "Mending nets isn't extremely hard work, but it requires keen eyesight to find even the smallest tears in each net, and especially, the worker must be quick, skillful, and precise in every stitch."
For generations, the image of groups of fishermen meticulously mending fishing nets has become a distinctive feature of the coastal community. This work has provided employment and stable income for hundreds of local laborers in La Gi.
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