Thuan Nam aims for sustainable fisheries development

Thuan Nam district has a 38km long coastline, with fishing ports and wharves to develop the seafood exploitation industry. In recent years, the locality has encouraged fishermen to invest in renovating and upgrading large-capacity vessels, equipping them with modern equipment for offshore fishing, and improving the lives of fishermen.

Thuan Nam district has 914 active fishing vessels with a total capacity of 246,000 horsepower, including 432 vessels 15 meters or longer operating in offshore waters. To exploit the potential and advantages of the marine economy, in recent years, the district has focused on encouraging fishermen to modify and upgrade their vessels; coordinating with the fisheries sector to open training courses for hundreds of fishermen, helping them improve their skills and have the legal conditions for practicing marine fisheries; and encouraging fishermen to apply scientific and technical advancements and equip themselves with modern equipment to venture further offshore for fishing. The district also encourages fishermen to replicate effective fishing models combining marine fisheries with expanded processing and logistics services, aiming to develop the fishing industry along the value chain in seafood exploitation and processing. In addition, it has encouraged fishermen to establish 106 solidarity fishing groups and teams to support each other in marine fisheries. Propagating regulations on marine fishing to fishermen... This contributes to improving fishing efficiency, increasing fishermen's income, and affirming the sovereignty of the country's seas and islands. Thanks to the increasingly developed capacity of fishing vessels, the district's annual seafood catch has increased significantly. In 2023, the catch reached 83,488 tons of various types of fish; in the first three months of 2024 alone, the catch reached 16,585 tons of various types of fish.

Fishermen in Ca Na commune (Thuan Nam district) invest in large-capacity vessels to venture further out to sea. Photo: V. Ny

Ca Na is a coastal commune in Thuan Nam district, with a convenient fishing port for developing the seafood exploitation and processing industry. Currently, the commune has 317 boats with a total capacity of 74,183 horsepower, including 80 boats 15 meters or longer that fish offshore. Mr. Nguyen Duy Lan, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Ca Na commune, said: To help local fishermen expand their fishing activities offshore, in recent years, the commune has encouraged fishermen to invest in building new, renovating, and upgrading large-capacity boats, equipping them with modern equipment for offshore fishing; and has encouraged fishermen to establish 37 solidarity groups and one fishing union operating in the same profession and fishing grounds, supporting each other in activities at sea, and participating in protecting the sovereignty of the country's seas and islands. In addition, to protect aquatic resources and ensure the safety of fishermen during fishing activities at sea, the commune also coordinates with the border guard station to promote awareness and encourage fishing boat owners not to store explosives, explosive materials, or engage in destructive fishing methods in order to protect aquatic resources. This contributes to improving fishing efficiency and increasing fishermen's income.

Having spent nearly 40 years at sea practicing the marine fisheries trade, Mr. Nguyen Van Minh, from Lac Son 1 village, Ca Na commune, said: "Previously, my family mainly fished near the shore. Although the catch was high, the economic value was not high, so the income was unstable. When the policy supporting fishermen to fish in distant waters was implemented, my family built two large-capacity vessels and invested in modern equipment to venture out to distant fishing grounds. Thanks to this, each fishing trip yields about 5-6 tons of high-value seafood, so my family has a stable income of over 1.5 billion VND per year."

Seafood purchasing activities at Ca Na Fishing Port (Thuan Nam).

Fisherman Nguyen Xuan Sanh from Lac Son 1 village, Ca Na commune, said: "To ensure each fishing trip is highly effective, in addition to investing in large-capacity vessels, we also participate in solidarity groups at sea to share information and support each other in finding fishing grounds and exploiting resources. Because each offshore fishing trip usually lasts 15 days, solidarity and mutual support are essential in fishing as well as in case of incidents at sea. This helps fishermen feel secure in staying at sea and protecting the sovereignty of the nation's seas and islands."

Comrade Dinh Van Hoa, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Thuan Nam district, said: In the coming time, the district will focus on building and developing the fishing industry in a modern direction to exploit offshore fishing with purse seine, trawling, and longline fishing; implementing policies to develop the marine economy for fishermen; supporting fishermen in renovating and upgrading large-capacity vessels to venture further offshore; supporting fishing boat owners to invest in modern equipment and improve the capacity of high-value marine fishing. Along with that, maintaining and improving the quality of solidarity groups and teams at sea, fishing unions, and effective marine fishing models at sea; focusing on supporting fishermen in vocational training and developing high-quality human resources for marine production; creating conditions for fishermen to borrow capital to invest in renovating and upgrading large-capacity vessels to venture further offshore and maintain their presence at sea... Through this, it will help fishermen increase their income, contribute to the local economic development, and protect the sovereignty of the country's seas and islands.

Tien Manh

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