Thanh Lan during the anchovy fishing season.

Every year-end, fishermen on Thanh Lan Island (Co To) enter the anchovy fishing season – the most important fishing season of the year. This is also the time when the fishing port is busier than ever as anchovy catches increase sharply, bringing significant income to households engaged in fishing.

At dawn, while the sea was still covered in a thin layer of mist, rafts and wooden boats lined up at the port of Hamlet 2, Thanh Lan Island, and the docks became bustling with buying and selling activity. Traders waited, and motorbikes and tricycles continuously transported fish from the dock to the purchasing points. As soon as the boats touched the pier, traders were already waiting. Baskets of anchovies were passed from hand to hand as quickly as the wind, the seawater still flowing down the rocky ground, leaving a shimmering silver streak. The fresh anchovies, small in size and gleaming with their characteristic silvery white color, filled large baskets and weighed on the spot. Below the dock, motorbikes and tricycles lined up one after another. Some recorded the catch, others scooped the fish, and still others sifted them clean… all creating a hurried yet familiar rhythm of work. Laughter mingled with the sounds of bargaining, making the fish market seem to come alive in the early morning. For the people of Thanh Lan Island, the anchovy season is not just a fishing season, but a blessing from heaven after months of toiling at sea . Each haul of silvery fish overflowing the nets, each basket of fish glistening in the early morning sun, is like a whisper from the sea: No matter how much things change, the sea still remembers its way back to the people who depend on it for their livelihood.

The boats, laden with anchovies from the Thanh Lan fishing grounds, docked one after another in the early morning, bringing with them the joy of a bountiful fishing season.

Right on the pier, traders and fishermen are busy sorting and weighing fish; the lively chatter and laughter create the familiar rhythm of the fishing season.

Fresh anchovies purchased directly from fishing boats currently cost around 85,000 – 90,000 VND/kg. After processing and drying, the price is 120,000 VND/kg. Anchovies that meet OCOP product standards command a higher price, around 150,000 VND/kg.

The anchovies are piled into trays, ready to be taken to the processing area.

The trays of anchovies, arranged one after another like silver ribbons, reflect the sparkling light of Thanh Lan island.

Before being taken out to dry, the anchovies are washed thoroughly to preserve their freshness.

Take advantage of drying the fish early to ensure high-quality finished products.

Fishermen on Thanh Lan Island skillfully scatter batches of anchovies to help them dry quickly in the sun.

Treasure

Source: https://baoquangninh.vn/ca-ruoi-thanh-lan-loc-bien-moi-do-dong-ve-3387450.html