Many difficulties
Every day, more than 100 coastal fishing boats enter and anchor at Van Thanh culvert in Hon Dat commune. Most fishermen have difficult economic conditions and small fishing equipment. They mainly make a living by trawling, bottom-scraping, traps, traps, cod, and bagua... in the near-shore waters.
Mr. Nguyen Van Chin, a fisherman in Van Thanh hamlet, said: “Compared to previous years, there are much fewer fish and shrimp in coastal waters. Before, I could earn 2-3 million VND per trip, minus fuel and food, and still make half a profit. Now, when I go out to sea, I just hope to have enough money for fuel. My family has no land, and I don’t have the capital to change jobs.”
Fishermen with offshore fishing vessels also face numerous difficulties and challenges because fishing is no longer economically efficient. Many boat owners suffer losses and have to leave their boats on shore.
According to Mr. Truong Van Ngu - Chairman of Rach Gia Ward Fisheries Association, to have capital to go to sea, most ship owners have mortgaged their assets to borrow money from banks. For a 2-3 month offshore fishing trip, the ship owner has to pay from 1.8 to 2 billion VND, from fuel, ice, salaries advanced to fishermen, food and provisions. Fishing grounds are increasingly depleted, sending ships to sea is like gambling in the middle of the ocean. If lucky, the ship owner can break even or make a profit of tens of millions of VND. If unlucky, the fish yield is low, the ship owner and crew have no money, the ship owner even has to cover the cost of depreciation, ship repair, and bank loan interest.
Fishermen participate in fishing in the Nam Du sea area, Kien Hai special zone.
When the fishing grounds in the province no longer provide abundant aquatic resources, many fishing boats and fishermen have gone to foreign waters to illegally exploit seafood. The situation of violating regulations on IUU fishing in the province has recently become very complicated, with many subjects colluding and sending boats to illegally exploit in the waters of Malaysia and Indonesia, and have been arrested, prosecuted and tried by authorities.
As of July 2025, An Giang province had 5 cases involving 6 fishing vessels violating foreign waters that were arrested and processed. This is one of the biggest shortcomings and limitations of the province in implementing solutions to remove the "yellow card" of the European Commission.
Rearrange the profession
Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Huu Toan said: “Aquatic resources are increasingly depleted, the province is implementing the arrangement and restructuring of the fisheries sector, converting from exploitation to aquaculture to ensure the balance between exploitation and aquaculture; gradually reducing the number of fishing vessels to reduce exploitation intensity; creating jobs and increasing income for coastal communities”.
Implementing the roadmap from 2021 to present, the province has cut 1,660 vessels. Most of them are fishing vessels with the longest length under 12m operating in coastal areas, especially cutting 286 vessels using trawl nets and gillnets to catch tuna with the longest length of 15m or more operating in offshore areas.
At the same time, 37 fishing boats were converted from trawling and gillnetting (prohibited occupations) to encouraged occupations (traps, hooks, purse seines, and logistics services for catching aquatic resources). The province strives to have 8,625 fishing boats in the province by 2030.
According to the Department of Agriculture and Environment, the province focuses on restoring and regenerating aquatic resources; issuing mechanisms and policies to call for businesses to invest in offshore aquaculture. It can be seen that the province has been making efforts to implement more fundamental and effective solutions to restructure the fisheries sector, helping fishermen feel secure in production.
Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/tai-co-cau-nghe-bien-a425417.html
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