Fishermen in Khanh Hoa and Quang Ngai welcome "sea luck" at the beginning of the year of the Dragon 2024

In the early days of the Year of the Dragon 2024, the Hon Ro fishing port in Nha Trang ( Khanh Hoa province ), the Sa Ky fishing port (Binh Chau commune, Binh Son district, Quang Ngai province), and the Tinh Ky port (Tinh Ky commune, Quang Ngai city, Quang Ngai province) became bustling again as dozens of offshore fishing boats docked each day, their holds full of shrimp and fish. These early spring "bounty from the sea" marks a prosperous beginning for the fishermen of the coastal region.

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Fishermen in Khanh Hoa: each trip yields 2-8 tons of various types of fish.

From February 1st to February 19th, 2024, Hon Ro fishing port recorded 60 departures and 68 arrivals for unloading fish. Most of these vessels were engaged in offshore fishing, including longline fishing, purse seine fishing, trawling, and gillnet fishing. The fishing grounds are vast, especially for tuna longline fishing, stretching from the Truong Sa (Spratly) Islands to the southwestern sea area. The average catch for gillnet fishing vessels is around 6-8 tons of various fish, while longline fishing vessels achieve 1.6-2 tons of tuna per trip. This year, due to favorable weather and hydrological conditions in recent months, along with increasing seafood consumption, fishermen have been very active in fishing.

Purchasing tuna at Hon Ro fishing port, Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa. Photo: Navy Newspaper.

Currently, Khanh Hoa province has nearly 3,200 boats and ships of all types, of which more than 665 meet the standards for offshore fishing (tuna fishing accounts for 71%). This is a significant force contributing to the protection of maritime sovereignty and the development of the local marine economy.

Mr. Nguyen Bien Xuan Tram, 40 years old (Vinh Truong ward, Nha Trang city), owner of fishing boat KH 95427 TS, is rearranging the fishing nets with his crew, preparing for this afternoon's fishing trip. He shared: "The boat has 10 crew members, meeting the standards for offshore fishing, but in the first few days of the new year, the crew mainly stayed near the shore. This season, the weather is relatively favorable, and the amount of fish caught each day is quite consistent, around 1 ton/day, mainly small and medium-sized fish, most notably striped catfish weighing 1-1.5 kg/each. This is only enough to supply the local market in Vinh Truong ward."

According to data from the People's Committee of Khanh Hoa province, in January 2024, the total seafood production of the province reached nearly 8,200 tons, an increase of 1.9% compared to the same period last year. This growth is partly due to favorable weather conditions. On the other hand, during the Lunar New Year holiday, the demand for seafood increased, so many fishermen actively went out to sea, resulting in a higher seafood catch in the province compared to the same period last year. This encouraging growth at the beginning of the new year signals a favorable year for fishermen in Khanh Hoa, contributing to the sustainable development of the marine economy .

Fishermen in Quang Ngai province strike it rich with anchovy catch.

At Sa Ky fishing port (Binh Chau commune, Binh Son district) and Tinh Ky port (Tinh Ky commune, Quang Ngai city, Quang Ngai province), most boats had a bountiful catch due to encountering many schools of anchovies.

According to fishermen in Tinh Ky, around 4 PM, anchovy fishing boats start their engines and head out to sea, about 12-15 nautical miles from the shore. On average, each boat catches 7-10 tons of anchovies after a night, with some boats catching nearly 20 tons. With prices ranging from 10,000 to 20,000 VND per kilogram, depending on the quality of the fish, each boat earns from tens of millions to hundreds of millions of VND.

A bountiful anchovy catch, coupled with stable prices, has brought great joy to the fishermen. (Photo: Tien Phong Newspaper)

Fisherman Truong Thanh An (residing in Tinh Ky commune) said that after a night at sea, he and five other crew members caught 8 tons of anchovies. With the current fish prices, after deducting expenses, each crew member received 3-4 million VND. “However, anchovy fishing is very hard work, because fishermen have to work all night, but the high profits compensate for it, so the fishermen are very happy,” said Mr. An. Similarly, fisherman Truong Dinh Thanh – owner of the fishing vessel QNg 96299 TS – struck a school of anchovies while fishing about 2 nautical miles from Ly Son Island. His vessel caught 17 tons of anchovies, earning nearly 200 million VND.

Most of the anchovies caught are purchased by local and foreign fish processing facilities to make dried anchovies. On average, each worker here earns between 100,000 and 300,000 VND per day.

Source: https://thoidai.com.vn/ngu-dan-khanh-hoa-quang-ngai-don-loc-bien-dau-nam-giap-thin-2024-197324.html