Spending the whole night casting nets on the river.

Throughout the year, the Mekong River shelters and embraces countless lives that depend on its waters for their livelihood. As time passes, the flood season gives way to the ebb and flow of the tides. Fishermen continue to cling to the river, working day and night to catch fish and earn extra income.

Spending the whole night "hunting" for fish.

A cool breeze gently swept across the river. Suddenly, I heard the evening call of the bittern, and a feeling of wistfulness arose in my heart. Looking towards the river, the tide was slowly receding, marking the time when fishermen would set out to sea in their boats to fish. As night fell, the fishermen used their boats as homes, the moon and stars as companions, swaying gently with the waves. After casting a considerable length of net, Mrs. Tran Thi Kieu urged her husband to quickly start the outboard motor, cutting through the water rapidly towards the Chac Ca Dao river junction (bordering Chau Thanh and Cho Moi districts) to cast another net. A sudden gust of wind in April blew strongly, making the curtain flutter. Tiny droplets of water splashed against everyone's faces, chilling them to the bone.

At dawn, fishermen stop at the market to sell their fish.

Looking around at the clouds, Mr. Nguyen Van Thuong (Ms. Kieu's husband) guessed that tonight the wind would pick up and it would rain, making casting the nets difficult. Mr. Thuong used his feet to stir the water, pushing the boat out into the middle of the river. From a distance, there was the sound of an engine sputtering. Ms. Kieu flashed her headlight to signal on the river surface to avoid collisions. "Casting nets at night requires caution, especially when boats and ships pass by. If we don't signal, those powerful engines will cut through the nets," Ms. Kieu said.

In the tranquil setting, the fishermen quietly make their living on the deserted river. They see the deep water as their source of income, without a trace of fear. “The waves are turbulent, and sometimes we encounter dangerous storms! But we’re used to it. On lucky days, when we catch a big fish, we live comfortably. That’s the nature of this profession. Success and failure are unpredictable,” Ms. Kieu said cheerfully in the night.

Having been involved in the traditional fishing trade for many years, many experienced fishermen share that choosing the right day to set out is crucial for catching good fish. Seeing our curiosity, Ms. Kieu explained: "Every fisherman has their own folk beliefs, so they all observe certain taboos regarding their words and actions. Each time they cast their nets, they must choose an auspicious day to offer ducks or fruit as sacrifices." After hearing his wife's explanation, Mr. Thuong added: "In recent years, the number of toadfish in the river has been quite high, but the spotted catfish is very rare. It's only once in a while that we catch one..."

Happy when the boat is full of fish.

Currently, many fishermen are starting to bring their fishing gear to the Chắc Cà Đao, Vàm Nao, and Hậu rivers to catch snakehead fish. This year, the snakehead fish population has decreased sharply, but in return, fishermen have had a good season catching catfish, toadfish, and silver carp. Nguyen Ngoc Loi (Nam Loi, 52 years old, residing in Chau Thanh district) is very excited because he caught 2-3 toadfish, each weighing 1-2 kg. With over 20 years in the fishing profession, Nam Loi knows the deep and shallow sections of the river very well. Not only that, Nam Loi is also known as a "master fish catcher," respected by his peers. Each time he sets out to cast his nets, he only needs to look at the water to know whether there are many or few fish. This season, he catches 4-5 toadfish each night.

After a hard night's work, the boats of Nam Loi, Thuong, and other fishermen yielded a bountiful catch of delicious fish. Arriving at the market early, the men took a short nap, while the women busied themselves carrying the fish to sell. In recent years, as river fish stocks have declined sharply due to environmental factors and human activity, the livelihoods of the people have become difficult. Previously, there were so many toadfish that people didn't bother eating them because of their Y-shaped bones. Now, this species is considered a delicacy on restaurant menus, priced from 120,000 to 150,000 VND per kilogram (each fish weighing over 1kg). Thanks to this, the fishermen have a relatively good income...

“This type of fish appears from January to the end of May in the lunar calendar. When the river water turns clear blue, there are many large toadfish,” said Nam Loi. Every night, in the Chac Ca Dao and Vam Nao sections of the river, there are 20-30 boats casting nets to catch fish. In previous years, when there were more fish, the number of boats was much larger, from 50-60, fishing on the river. Due to the depletion of fish stocks, many people have abandoned fishing to find other jobs on land.

At dawn, at An Chau market, the sound of water being bailed from the boat's hull created a lively atmosphere at the rural market. Fish jumped and splashed in the hull, and the fishermen forgot their sleepiness after a hard night's work. Carrying a net full of toadfish to weigh for her customers, Ms. Nguyen Thi Phuong smiled and said, "Today, my husband caught a dozen toadfish in his net, earning a million dong. Thanks to that, our family has some income to support our children's education every day." Ms. Bay Van (a vendor specializing in buying and selling delicious fish at An Chau market) said loudly: “Currently, it’s toadfish season. Every day I buy more than 20 toadfish, the kind weighing 1.5 - 2kg are priced at 150,000 VND/kg, and the toadfish weighing 1 - 1.4kg are priced at 120,000 VND/kg. Lately, traders in Ho Chi Minh City have been calling to buy them, and I pack them in refrigerated containers and send them there by passenger bus. They buy as many as the fishermen have.”

Out on the river, numerous fishing boats sped towards the shore, and the market became increasingly bustling. The brief encounter between fishermen and traders lasted only a moment before they parted ways. Before the market had even closed, the fishermen quickly steered their outboard motors back home to prepare for another day.

LUU MY

Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/trang-dem-tha-luoi-บน-song-a419085.html