Fishermen in Mai Phu and Ho Do communes (Loc Ha district, Ha Tinh province ) are excitedly entering the fishing season in the Cua Sot area, earning between 1 and 2 million VND per day and night.
Fishermen in Mai Phụ rushed to the river mouth to fish after days of heavy rain.
The Cửa Sót area is the downstream region of the Nghèn River, stretching approximately 5 km inland to the sea. It borders the communes of Thạch Kim, Thạch Châu, Mai Phụ, Hộ Độ, and the town of Lộc Hà (Lộc Hà district) with the commune of Đỉnh Bàn (Thạch Hà district).
Every year, from around October to February of the following lunar year (approximately November to March of the following Gregorian year), many fish such as scad, stingray, barramundi, and other species congregate in this estuary area, so the local people flock there to fish.
Working tirelessly to make a living in the rain.
As a seasoned fisherman, Mr. Pham Ngoc Tien from Mai Lam village (Mai Phu commune) shared: “During this time of year, the water is cold, the sea is rough, there is a lot of rain, and floodwaters from upstream bring plankton, so many fish from the sea come to this estuary area to find food, shelter, and breed. On the other hand, because the downstream of the Nghen River has very high water levels and strong currents during this season, and many fish feed on the bottom... casting nets, setting traps, and other fishing methods in this area are not as effective as fishing with hooks.”
Small boats anchored in the Cua Sot creek quietly cast their lines in the early morning.
According to Mr. Tien, local fishermen understand the feeding habits and environment of different fish species: grouper, snapper, and barramundi prefer to feed during the day, feeding in schools, and feeding at the bottom, especially in mudflats; while stingrays and barramundi usually feed at night... Mr. Tien's experience also shows that high or low tide is when these fish species prefer to feed the most, while fishing is ineffective when the water is calm.
The fresh, delicious fish kept biting the hook.
As someone passionate about fishing and primarily for a living, Nguyen Huy Hoang from Mai Lam village (Mai Phu commune) and his fishing partner Phan Van Cuong are regularly present at their familiar alluvial plains to cast their lines, regardless of the time of day or night.
The equipment for a fishing trip for Mr. Hoang and his fellow fishermen includes a 6-meter boat with a 16 HP engine, 6-8 sets of fishing gear, a bait box, a fish container with ice, drinking water, snacks, rain gear, etc.
Hoàng's fellow fishermen proudly showed off the results of a fishing trip.
According to Mr. Nguyen Huy Hoang: "Depending on the weather and tides, a fishing trip usually lasts from 3 to 4 hours. Two people can make 2 to 3 trips a day and night, casting 6 to 8 fishing rods underwater at a time."
If conditions are favorable, on average, each fishing trip yields a fisherman 2-3 kg of various types of fish. Because they are fresh and unpreserved, the fish are sold right at the dock for 150-170 thousand VND/kg for small-sized fish and 350-400 thousand VND/kg for larger fish. After deducting expenses, each fishing trip brings us an income of 350-600 thousand VND per person.”
With this catch of fresh, delicious fish, Mr. Hoang earned nearly 600,000 VND from his fishing trip.
For many local fishermen, fishing doesn't require much investment, yet it provides both good income and great entertainment, helping to relieve fatigue. On fine days, with favorable tides, the Cua Sot area sees about 50-70 fishing boats belonging to residents of Mai Phu, Ho Do, Thach Kim communes and other neighboring localities, operating quite busily. Because they fish close to shore, the boats are quite small, with engines under 20 horsepower or no engines at all, enough for 2-3 people to fish.
In the Cua Sot area, fishermen from Mai Lam village (Mai Phu commune) make up the largest number, with 35 boats and dozens of skilled workers; especially expert anglers like Mr. Nguyen Lan, Mr. Pham Ngoc Tien, Mr. Le Van Hoi, Mr. Le Xuan Tao... If they work diligently, anglers in this area can earn from 1 to 2 million VND per day and night; on lucky days, it can be more than 3 million VND.
Four days ago, Mr. Le Xuan Tao was lucky enough to catch this stingray weighing nearly 8 kg, which he sold for almost 3 million VND.
Mr. Dao Anh Van, Chairman of the Farmers' Association of Mai Phu commune, said: "The fishing method doesn't yield a large catch, but it suits the simple fishing environment and the small-capacity boats of local fishermen. During this season, each fishing boat can earn 1-2 million VND per person per day and night, contributing to job creation during the rainy season and increasing income for a segment of the population."
Besides encouraging and motivating people to improve their production and lives, we also regularly remind everyone to ensure safety when working during the rainy and stormy season.”
Tien Phuc
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