The bustling jellyfish season

From March to May each year, fishermen in the coastal areas of Nam Dinh province gain a new source of income from catching and processing jellyfish. On the returning boats, the plump, white jellyfish bobbing in the boat's hold bring joy to the people about a bountiful season of the sea.

From March to May each year, fishermen in the coastal areas of Nam Dinh province gain a new source of income from catching and processing jellyfish. On the returning boats, the plump, white jellyfish bobbing in the boat's hold bring joy to the people about a bountiful season of the sea.

The jellyfish season has created jobs for many local workers in jellyfish processing factories.

From early morning, the beaches and fishing ports in Hai Hau, Nghia Hung, and Giao Thuy districts are always bustling. At the docks, boats laden with jellyfish constantly come and go. At seafood processing facilities, dozens of workers diligently sort and process jellyfish to prepare for shipments. According to fishermen who harvest jellyfish, during the jellyfish season, depending on the tides, boats will go out to sea to catch them. At this time, jellyfish usually gather in large clumps drifting on the water's surface, making harvesting quite easy. Boats usually go out to sea at least 2 nautical miles from the shore before casting their nets. Catching jellyfish isn't difficult, but fishermen must always be careful not to let the jellyfish venom come into contact with their skin, as it can be very painful.

There are many types of jellyfish, however, the most commonly caught by fishermen in the province nowadays is the white jellyfish (also known as "ro jellyfish").

The jellyfish season only lasts a few months, so boats have to make the most of the time. If the weather is favorable, fishermen can go out to sea 1-2 times a day to take advantage of the opportunity to harvest them. With each net cast, fishermen can pull up about a dozen jellyfish of various sizes. This process sounds easy, but in reality, it takes a lot of effort because jellyfish carry seawater with them, making them very heavy; some weigh up to several tens of kilograms, so catching them requires the fishermen to be strong and healthy.

Ensuring the quality of jellyfish requires a very strict process from the initial processing stage.

Jellyfish come in many varieties; however, the most commonly caught by fishermen in the province today is the white jellyfish (also known as "ro jellyfish"). Among the different types of jellyfish, the red jellyfish is rare and has the highest nutritional value. However, due to unsuitable sea conditions in Vietnam for the growth and development of red jellyfish, it is almost never encountered. During jellyfish season, fishermen in coastal areas are lucky to catch even one or two red jellyfish. Each trip, a fisherman's boat catches 300-500 jellyfish, with an average price ranging from 15,000 VND per jellyfish upwards, so each boat earns 4-6 million VND, and larger boats with a greater capacity can earn tens of millions of VND.

After initial processing, the jellyfish are packaged according to regulations, ensuring food safety and hygiene.

After the boats dock, traders are waiting to buy the jellyfish. Those without boats or the strength to go to sea also take advantage of the season to earn extra income from processing jellyfish. At processing facilities, jellyfish are sorted into tentacles and bodies. The tentacles are more valuable than the bodies. The remaining bodies are cut into small pieces, about 2-3 cm thick, then put into rotating tanks to wash away the slime and excess water. After washing, the jellyfish are soaked in tanks of saltwater and alum. When the jellyfish pieces become transparent and reach a certain crispness, they are purchased by processing facilities as raw materials for making dishes or sold to traders who ship them to China, South Korea, Japan, etc.

In recent years, as people have increasingly preferred processed jellyfish products such as jellyfish salad, ready-to-eat jellyfish, etc.,
The jellyfish fishing and processing industry is thriving, providing a significant income for fishermen.

For a long time, people in coastal areas have known jellyfish as a medicinal food, nourishing the body and helping to combat the summer heat. In recent years, people have favored processed jellyfish products such as jellyfish salad and ready-to-eat jellyfish, leading to a strong development in the jellyfish fishing and processing industry, bringing high income to fishermen. The province currently has about 30 jellyfish processing facilities, primarily producing ready-to-eat jellyfish. To build brand recognition, many processing facilities have adopted safe production processes such as HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) and achieved OCOP 3-star certification.

Text and photos: Hong Minh

Source: https://baonamdinh.vn/multimedia/Emagazine/202504/nhon-nhip-mua-sua-bien-f015a80/