'Unshackle' the striped tuna fishing industry, fishermen are happy

The suspension of the minimum size regulation for skipjack tuna is a 'liberation' for the fishing industry of this fish species, making fishermen extremely happy.

Fishermen are "relieved"

The eastern region of Gia Lai currently has nearly 3,200 fishing vessels with a length of 15m or more fishing offshore; of which, the largest fleet is the tuna fishing fleet with more than 1,400 vessels, followed by the purse seine fishing fleet specializing in catching striped tuna with 1,302 vessels. Tuna and striped tuna are the main source of livelihood for fishermen in the eastern region of Gia Lai.

Fisherman Huynh Chanh Thi in Ka Kong village (Hoai Nhon Dong commune, Gia Lai) recalls: In early 2024, the price of striped tuna was still at 35,000 VND/kg, but when Decree No. 37/2024/ND-CP of the Government took effect from May 19, 2024, which stipulates that the size of striped tuna (skipjack tuna) allowed to be caught is 50cm at the minimum length, the price of striped tuna dropped sharply to 25,000 VND/kg, lasting until now.

“Traders believe that only businesses dare to buy tuna that is 50cm or longer for processing and export. If businesses buy smaller fish, they are violating the law. While fishermen are “blind to the chase” and can only find a tuna that is 50cm long, traders have forced the price down from 35,000 VND/kg to 25,000 VND/kg,” said fisherman Huynh Chanh Thi.

Striped tuna weighing from 300g-1kg/fish accounts for 80% of production. Photo: V.D.T.

According to fisherman Thi, the cost of each trip has now increased three times compared to before, because the price of everything from fuel to food has skyrocketed. If the cost of each trip was 100 million VND before, it is now up to 300 million VND.

“When the price of fish was 35,000 VND/kg, each fishing trip caught 20 tons of fish and sold for 700 million VND. Now, 20 tons of fish are sold for only 500 million VND, which means fishermen lose 200 million VND/trip. Plus, the cost of each fishing trip has increased by 200 million VND, so now fishermen lose 400 million VND/trip. Not to mention that before going to sea, the ship owner has to pay each crew member 5-7 million VND/person in advance. For more than a year now, fishermen have been struggling because if they are lucky, they can cover the costs, but most of them are losses,” said fisherman Huynh Chanh Thi.

Fishermen will stop leaving the sea

Fisherman Huynh Chanh Thi's family has 4 fishing boats including: BD 96475 TS (420 horsepower), BD 96851 TS (710 horsepower), BD 99007 TS (710 horsepower) and BD 98927 TS (720 horsepower). During storm No. 13, Thi's family had 3 boats fishing at sea, one boat was on shore. Boats fishing at sea when encountering storms had to run to find shelter, wasting a lot of fuel. At the time of storm No. 15 raging in the East Sea, Thi's family had 2 boats that could not reach shore in time, and were still offshore looking for shelter.

The current price of striped tuna is only 25,000 VND/kg, a decrease of 10,000 VND/kg compared to before. Photo: V.D.T.

I was surprised that during this stormy season, the fishing boats of fisherman Thi's family did not stay ashore but continued to stay at sea. He explained: "This is the end of the main season for catching striped tuna. The fish that "escaped the net" during the main season have now grown up, so this season, when fishing, we often encounter big fish. Soon, January 2026 will be the main season for catching striped tuna. At this time, the regulations on the size of striped tuna that can be caught will no longer apply. Surely, fishermen using purse seine nets will make a profit. Everyone will take their boats out to sea to catch fish instead of abandoning them at sea like in the past."

Old fisherman Bui Thanh Ninh, who owns four purse seine fishing boats in Hoai Nhon Bac ward (Gia Lai), was also extremely excited when he heard an acquaintance working at the Vietnam Association of Seafood Processors and Exporters call to inform him of the suspension of the regulations on the minimum size allowed for exploitation of a number of aquatic species living in natural waters, including striped tuna.

“Near the end of August 2024, the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers held a workshop on “Promoting transformation for sustainable development of Vietnam's seafood industry”. At the workshop, delegates enthusiastically discussed issues related to regulation 37/2024/ND-CP regulating the minimum size allowed to exploit aquatic species living in natural waters, typically striped tuna. At the workshop, I spoke on behalf of fishermen that the above regulation has made fishermen's business increasingly difficult”, old fisherman Bui Thanh Ninh recalled.

After the suspension of the minimum size regulation for skipjack tuna, fishermen hope that fish prices will increase again. Photo: V.D.T.

With more than 30 years of experience at sea, old fisherman Ninh said that during the fishing process, he found that striped tuna weighing from 300g-1kg/fish accounted for 80% of the output, fish weighing 1kg/fish or more accounted for only 20%.

“Striped tuna is a pelagic fish, the main fishing season is from July of the previous year to January of the following year, the output of small fish accounts for 80-90%. From February to June every year, the output of striped tuna decreases sharply, only about 5%. Therefore, the regulation on the minimum size allowed to exploit striped tuna is too inappropriate, now that this regulation is no longer in effect, it will help to remove difficulties for fishermen”, old fisherman Bui Thanh Ninh shared.

Source: https://nongnghiepmoitruong.vn/thao-gong-cho-nghe-danh-bat-ca-ngu-soc-dua-ngu-dan-mung-ro-d787673.html