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| Locals harvest minnows after a fishing trip. |
Based on the tides and the characteristics of the minnows, some households living along the Co Chien River have made a living by casting nets to catch minnows. Investing in this profession is not too expensive; all you need is a boat, a few hundred meters of net specifically for catching minnows, and some floats… and you can start "doing the job".
Fishing for anchovies only takes place according to the tides, with a few days of rest after each fishing trip. Fishing is only possible for about 10-15 days each month, and they have to go all the way across the Tien River, casting nets several kilometers away. Although anchovies are found scattered throughout the year, they are most abundant during the rainy season, from April to May, which is when they breed and gather in large schools.
Last May was the "peak season," with some days seeing people catch up to several dozen kilograms of anchovies. The selling price per kilogram of unprocessed fish was around 35,000-40,000 VND. On average, they earned tens of millions of VND each month. In other months, the catch wasn't as high, around 5-7 kg, but the price was higher, resulting in a few million VND per month.
Anchovies live in their natural river environment, are highly nutritious, and are a familiar food for locals. They can be prepared in many delicious ways, such as braised in a dry sauce or with pepper, served with rice or plain porridge; deep-fried and served with vermicelli, raw vegetables, and a sour fish sauce dip; or cooked in a sour soup like snakehead fish, which is also very tasty.
Text and photos: HONG THANH
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