Fishermen urgently go offshore to cling to the sea

(GLO)- After storm No. 13, when the seas were calm, fishermen in the coastal areas of the East quickly regained consciousness and started repairing and fixing damaged boats, preparing fishing gear... to be ready for new offshore trips.

Along with that, the government and functional forces are creating all favorable conditions for people to quickly stabilize production and stick to the sea for a long time.

Hurriedly going out to sea after the storm

In the days after the storm, along the sea areas of Quy Nhon, De Gi, Hoai Nhon, Phu My... fishermen were busy repairing damaged boats and fishing gear to go out to sea and catch seafood. At the fishing ports of Quy Nhon, De Gi, Tam Quan... there was a bustling atmosphere of fuel and food preparation for many fishing boats to soon go out to sea to exploit and catch seafood, making up for the days "staying ashore" to avoid the storm.

Fishermen prepare fuel and supplies to go fishing at Quy Nhon Fishing Port. Photo: TL

On the morning of November 11, at Quy Nhon Fishing Port, hundreds of fishermen were busy shopping for necessities, getting ice, and completing departure procedures. The Fishing Port Management Board and border guards were on duty 24/7, assisting fishermen in completing paperwork and ensuring their vessels were qualified to safely set sail.

Fisherman Nguyen Huu Thiet - owner of BD 98880-TS - shared: Thanks to careful guidance on anchoring at Quy Nhon Fishing Port to avoid the storm, my boat was not damaged much. As soon as the sea ban ended, the crew went down to check the machinery, prepare nets, pump oil, and get ice to go out to sea. Now the sea is calm and the weather is sunny, we go to the southern fishing grounds to exploit. After the storm, the resources are usually abundant, everyone is excited, hoping for a successful trip to make up for the days on shore.

More than 100 km away, at Tam Quan Fishing Port, Captain Phan Coi - owner of the BD 97009-TS ship, and his crew were also busy refueling, ice, and preparing food for the long sea trip. As someone who has spent many years at sea in the Truong Sa fishing grounds and DK 1 platform, Mr. Coi clearly understands that each stage of preparation determines the safety and effectiveness of the trip.

Border Guard Squadron 2 under the Provincial Border Guard Command inspects and guides fishing boats going out to sea. Photo: DVCC

“To prepare for this long fishing trip, my fishing boat has prepared more than 2,000 liters of oil and more than 1,000 ice cubes, along with enough food and provisions for 30 days. This trip, we plan to go to Truong Sa fishing grounds to catch tuna, hoping to catch a lot of fish so that our brothers can have some extra money to repair their houses after the storm,” said Mr. Coi.

According to Mr. Coi, before each voyage, the captain tests all machinery and equipment, especially the voyage monitoring equipment, and strictly complies with regulations in the management of illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

Maximum support for fishermen to stay at sea

At Tam Quan Fishing Port, after Storm No. 13, hundreds of fishing boats that had taken shelter safely began refueling and resupplying to return to fishing grounds. Mr. Dang Van Dan, Acting Director of Tam Quan Fishing Port Management Board, said that from November 9 to 12, about 100 boats with a length of 15 meters or more had set sail. Previously, more than 2,100 boats had taken shelter at the port and most were safe thanks to careful anchoring. From now until November 15, about 500 more boats are expected to return to sea.

"We require 100% of fishing vessels to be equipped with and turn on 24/7 journey monitoring devices to monitor activities and ensure absolute safety," Mr. Dan informed.

A corner of Tam Quan Fishing Port the day after the storm. Photo: NH

Not only Tam Quan, other fishing ports such as Quy Nhon and De Gi are also bustling again. Ships are loaded with fuel, carrying the hopes of fishermen heading out to the open sea, where they not only earn a living but also contribute to protecting the sacred sovereignty of the sea and islands.

Locally, support work for fishermen after the storm was deployed synchronously, from repairing damaged boats to ensuring logistics and procedures for going to sea.

Mr. Tran Minh Lam - Vice Chairman of Hoai Nhon Bac Ward People's Committee - said: "The locality focuses on both supporting fishermen to go offshore early and tightening management against IUU fishing. Currently, 100% of vessels with lengths from 15 m to under 24 m operating offshore have been supported to install voyage monitoring equipment. Management is strictly implemented, but always coupled with support so that people can feel secure in production."

In the same spirit, Mr. Dao Xuan Thien - Director of the Fishing Port Management Board (Department of Agriculture and Environment) said: Along with the urgent work to repair fishing boats damaged by storm No. 13, the unit is mobilizing maximum human resources to quickly resolve procedures for fishing boats to go to sea, avoiding congestion. The Board also requested businesses and fishing logistics service establishments at fishing ports to fully supply gasoline, ice, and necessities so that fishermen can go to sea as soon as conditions are met.

In addition, the Border Guard force has deployed many support measures, strictly but flexibly controlling to ensure safety and compliance with regulations. Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Tung Giang - Political Commissar of the Quy Nhon Port Border Guard Station - said: "We have arranged Mui Tan Border Guard Station to be on duty 24/7, quickly handling procedures for fishing boats to leave port. However, all boats must have full documents and turn on the journey monitoring device to be allowed to leave port. In addition, the Border Guard force regularly propagates and reminds fishermen to closely monitor weather developments to ensure safety in all fishing grounds."

Source: https://baogialai.com.vn/ngu-dan-khan-truong-vuon-khoi-bam-bien-post572254.html