Unfavorable weather makes seafood exploitation difficult

Cua Sot fishing port (Loc Ha) has only a few fishing boats coming to dock.

Returning to port after 5 days at sea, Mr. Nguyen Van Thai (47 years old, in Son Bang village, Loc Ha commune) and 4 colleagues on the HT 90399 TS ship were quite disappointed. This trip had to be shortened due to rough seas, only catching about 300kg of seafood, returning to Cua Sot fishing port and selling 40 million VND, deducting production costs, each worker only received a salary of about 2 million VND for 5 days of work. This is also the 3rd consecutive production trip recently that has been ineffective.

Mr. Thai said: “Our boat has a capacity of 220 CV, fishing about 80 - 100 nautical miles from shore. Normally, each sea trip lasts 7 - 8 days, catching about 500 - 600 kg of mackerel and other seafood, worth about 50 - 60 million VND, the income of the fishermen is from 500 - 700 thousand VND/person/day. But this year the weather is not favorable, especially in the last months of the year, so the schedule often has to be shortened, production is interrupted, and the output is about 15% lower than previous years.”

Purchasing activities at Cua Sot fishing port are currently quite gloomy due to the limited catch.

Not only Loc Ha fishermen but also fishermen in other localities are in the same situation. Mr. Nguyen Chien Thang in Tam Hai residential area (Hai Ninh ward) said: "My fishing boat has a capacity of 90 CV, specializes in fishing and net fishing in the offshore area, goes back and forth in a day, has 3 workers. This year, in addition to continuous rain and storms, the last 3 months of the year the boat is basically on shore, the aquatic resources show signs of decline, so the total catch has decreased by 20% compared to last year."

In the last months of the year, fishermen in Hai Ninh ward often find themselves with their boats stuck on shore and lacking work.

Consecutive storms and low pressure are the main reasons for production disruption, the number of boats returning for shelter increased, the number of boats arriving and leaving ports decreased, and the output did not meet the plan. According to statistics, by the end of November 2025, the whole province had 12,632 boats entering the anchorage and storm shelter areas for fishing boats, an increase of more than 2% over the same period of previous years. Meanwhile, at Cua Sot and Cua Hoi ports, there were only 5,333 boats arriving and 5,375 boats leaving the port, a decrease of about 25% over the same period.

Fisherman Tran Van Hung in Trung Nghia village (Loc Ha commune) shared: “This year, our work and income have not achieved the expected results. We hope that the authorities and sectors will have policies to support fishermen, allocate funds for dredging channels, strengthen fishing management and protect fishing grounds…”

Consecutive storms have forced fishermen from Hai Phong 1 and Hai Phong 2 fishing villages (Vung Ang ward) to sit at the dock and wait for the day of "calm skies and calm seas".

Mr. Than Quoc Te - Deputy Director of the Management Board of Fishing Ports and Storm Shelters for Fishing Vessels in Ha Tinh informed: "By the end of November 2025, the total output of aquatic products through the port managed by the unit was 933 tons, only about 75% compared to the same period last year. In addition to weather factors, there are other reasons for the decline in output such as: silted channels make it difficult for large ships to enter and exit; functional forces have strengthened measures to control records and vehicles, resolutely handling violations, so some fishing vessels that do not meet the conditions have to temporarily stop production; prices of materials and necessities for production have fluctuated, causing the cost of each trip to increase; labor shortage; 91% of boats are under 12m, small capacity, fishing close to shore, low output..."

Mr. Tran Van Hung (second from left to right) and his colleagues mend their nets, waiting for a favorable time to go into production.

According to the report of the Department of Fisheries (Department of Agriculture and Environment), in 2025, Ha Tinh will have 3,980 registered fishing vessels; of which 71 vessels operate in the open sea (over 15m long), 273 vessels operate in the open sea (12-15m long) and 3,636 vessels operate in the coastal area (6-12m long). Although fishermen in the whole province have been persistent and flexible in staying at sea, due to many subjective and objective factors, the total output of aquatic and seafood exploitation this year is only estimated at 45,010 tons, equal to 78% of the yearly plan (more than 57,700 tons).

Source: https://baohatinh.vn/thoi-tiet-bat-loi-khai-thac-thuy-hai-san-gap-kho-post300863.html