Bustling coastal area

For the past three years, fishermen in Lam Dong province have been lamenting the dwindling of resources and the fact that long fishing trips only yield losses. However, in Tan Thanh coastal commune, the story of fishermen consistently enjoying bountiful harvests and reaping the "bounty" of the sea has piqued everyone's curiosity…

Mr. Vo Viet Tuan (far left) during a meeting with provincial leaders who visited the commune to survey the Co-management model of the Fishermen's Community Association.

Tan Thanh commune, formed by the merger of three communes – Tan Thuan, Tan Thanh, and Thuan Quy – is a coastal commune in Lam Dong province. It has a total natural area of ​​177.58 ^km² and a population of 31,309 people. In the Tan Thanh coastal area, during the peak fishing season, stories of a bountiful harvest of fish and shrimp fill the cafes along the coast. Anyone working in the fishing industry excitedly boasts about their "good season."

Mr. Vo Viet Tuan (from Thanh Phong village) said that it's currently squid trapping season using seashells, and on some days he catches 40-50 kg of squid, priced at around 100,000 VND/kg, earning 4-5 million VND per day. Mr. Tuan is not alone; many other fishermen in the area also share his joy as they are in the peak season for harvesting the bounty of the sea. These fishermen say that by the 8th and 9th lunar months, they will switch to higher-value fishing methods such as crabbing, trapping sea snails, and squid fishing, which will provide them with a more substantial income and ease the financial burden of education for many families involved in the fishing industry in the area. “Thanh Phong village in Tan Thanh commune used to be considered the place with the highest poverty rate in the commune, but now, the lives of the people have changed significantly. There are no longer any poor households, and many families have become better off from fishing. To date, the poverty rate in Tan Thanh commune has decreased to 0.94% (compared to 1.02% in 2020),” shared Mr. Dau Trong Trung, Chairman of the Fishermen's Community Association of Tan Thuan commune.

The success achieved today is likely due to the perseverance of the local community and the fishermen's community association in implementing the co-management model for protecting marine resources. With the support of relevant authorities, the deployment of artificial reefs and brush clusters has been intensified by the people to mark the co-management zones, prevent the use of prohibited fishing methods, especially trawling, wire traps, and dragnets, and create habitats and breeding grounds for aquatic resources. Notably, the area has established and is operating a "Community IUU Monitoring Team" – a model example nationwide. In addition, the fishermen's community associations have actively promoted awareness and protection of the marked areas. As a result, the habitat of aquatic species has gradually recovered, allowing fishermen to have successful harvests like in recent years.

Besides fishing, the people of Tan Thanh commune also rely on agricultural production for their livelihood, with dragon fruit being the main crop. Although dragon fruit prices fluctuate, the people generally earn a decent income. Furthermore, the operation of several seaside resorts and homestays, along with high-tech agricultural farms attracting tourists, has created a vibrant and bustling atmosphere and provided employment for a large number of local rural workers.

Therefore, in the next term (2025 - 2030), the Tan Thanh Commune Party Committee has determined that it must strengthen the protection and regeneration of aquatic resources, linking it with the community responsibility of the people, in order to create long-term livelihoods and stabilize the lives of fishermen living along the coast and coastal areas. Only then will the hard work of the fishermen here in protecting and preserving these resources for future generations be adequately rewarded.

Source: https://baolamdong.vn/nhon-nhip-vung-ven-bien-383441.html