Since the Lunar New Year, due to the influence of the northeast monsoon, the sea has been rough for an extended period, but many offshore fishing vessels have still embarked on their first long voyages. Despite the unfavorable weather, fishermen still hope for smooth sailing and abundant seafood catches, with holds full of fish and shrimp.
The days of opening the sea were bustling.
From the 6th day of the Lunar New Year, small boats and fishing vessels began to sporadically set sail again, fishing near the shore. By the 9th day of the Lunar New Year, considered an auspicious day by fishermen and with more favorable weather, many large, offshore fishing vessels busily set sail after the long holiday. In recent days, the atmosphere at Con Cha fishing port (Phan Thiet) has been more bustling and urgent. From early morning, many fishing boats docked at the port to unload their catch, while some larger vessels were urgently transferring fuel, supplies, fishing gear, and necessities onto the ships to head out to sea for extended periods. At the fish market, many workers and refrigerated trucks were ready to transport the fish for sale.
According to fisherman Nguyen Van Thanh (Duc Thang ward), since the 9th day of the Lunar New Year, the weather has calmed down, and many offshore fishing vessels have simultaneously set sail for their first fishing trip of the year. Mr. Thanh's boat, which uses a seine net to catch anchovies, set sail on February 9th. He said that on the morning of February 10th, his boat had caught nearly 1 ton of anchovies, and after deducting all expenses, he earned tens of millions of dong. Mr. Thanh said: “Compared to previous years, anchovies usually appear in large numbers from April to October of the lunar calendar, but this year the schools of fish appeared densely right from January, so the fishermen are extremely excited. We are very happy to have such a good catch at the beginning of the year, and we hope for a bountiful harvest like last year.”
It is known that in 2024, fishing boats operating in the province were doing well, with almost every boat making a profit. Mr. Thanh's boat alone caught over 500 tons, double the amount from 2023. With an average selling price of 10,000 VND/kg, after deducting expenses, he earned over 500 million VND in profit. However, Mr. Thanh added that anchovy catches are unpredictable, so experience in "hunting" for schools of fish is necessary for a successful catch. It's not just anchovy fishing boats that are having a good start to the year; small boats that return daily also bring in a considerable amount of herring, mackerel, scad, and other fish. Although the yield isn't yet high, the rising prices of seafood in the early days of the year mean each fisherman earns millions of VND daily.
Hoping for a successful year.
Taking advantage of the calm seas, many fishing boats engaged in long-distance fishing using purse seine, longline, and trawling methods have invested in modern equipment and supplies for their first fishing trip of the year. While completing departure procedures, fisherman Nguyen Xin (from Duc Long ward) said, "This trip is expected to last 12-15 days, costing nearly 150 million VND. I hope this first trip of the year will be full of shrimp and fish." For fishermen, the first fishing trip of the year is very important. If the trip goes smoothly and the boat is full of seafood, they believe they will have good luck and a successful year at sea.
Due to the dwindling marine resources, in addition to their fishing experience, many fishermen in the province have invested in modern supporting equipment, purchasing sonar, long-range GPS devices, scanners, etc., to help them more accurately assess the fishing grounds, thus achieving higher fishing efficiency. When going out to sea, fishermen will go in groups or teams to support each other when the ship encounters problems at sea, as well as to share information about areas where fish are abundant so they can fish together.
According to the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, in January 2025, due to the influence of the northeast wind, the sea off Binh Thuan experienced periods of high waves, strong winds, and rough seas. However, marine resources remained abundant, and fishing vessels continued to operate at sea with stable yields. The main fishing grounds are concentrated in the coastal and offshore areas of the province, south of Phu Quy Island and Con Son Island. It is known that in 2024, the seafood production of fishing vessels reached 239,600 tons, exceeding the plan and bringing joy to fishermen. The Binh Thuan fisheries sector also hopes that in 2025, seafood production will continue to exceed targets. Therefore, the sector encourages fishermen to invest in high technology to develop offshore fishing fleets for high-value seafood as raw materials for processing and export; strengthen environmentally friendly fishing methods, and reduce fishing practices that deplete marine resources.
In addition, the industry is focusing on implementing restructuring, reducing fishing intensity in accordance with resource reserves, adhering to responsible fisheries conduct rules, and concentrating on implementing urgent tasks and solutions to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
Source: https://baobinhthuan.com.vn/ngu-dan-phan-khoi-nhung-chuyen-bien-dau-nam-128000.html
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