About Nhon Ly to pull nets with fishermen

Just like that, each long, colorful net was gradually pulled to shore. With each patient pull, layers of fish, shrimp, and sparkling squid appeared after the waves crashed onto the shore, like gifts from the ocean. The joy shining in the fishermen’s eyes made the early morning here even more bustling.

Net fishing has been associated with coastal fishing villages for generations. **Photo: NN**

On the seawall, old fishermen with gray hair often sit and watch, their gentle smiles shining on their faces marked by time. They seem to see their youth in each catch.

"In the past, after pulling in the net, we would jump into the sea to swim and play with the waves. When we got home, we could smell the delicious aroma of braised anchovies," an old fisherman recounted.

Mr. Duong Van Thom, 75 years old, Van Truong of Xuong Ly lagoon (Quy Nhon Dong ward) shared: The trawling profession in Nhon Ly has existed for a long time, passed down from generation to generation. In the past, there were few boats, most of them rowed, so this profession was very popular. People in coastal areas called it the net fishing, the net fishing or the shore fishing. In this profession, the net is very important, especially the step of tying the lead. The lead must be heavy enough to sink into the water but must be at a suitable distance from the bottom for the fish to enter.

The fishing profession has existed for a long time, passed down from generation to generation. **Photo: NN**

Without any machinery, all the work is done by hand. Fishermen usually gather in groups of 3-6 people to pull the net together. After choosing a location, one end of the net is held firmly on the shore, the other end is carried in a basket a few hundred meters from the shore. When there is no basket, one or two fishermen hold the other end of the net and swim out to sea. After a period of herding the fish, the whole group of fishermen pull together and gradually collect each meter of the net, bringing the fish caught inside to shore.

The nets brought ashore often carry fresh shrimp and fish inside. **Photo: NN**

Mr. Bach Xuan Ngoc, 55 years old, who has been doing this job for many years, said: The income from this job is quite unstable, only occasionally when I catch a school of anchovies can I make a good profit. "When I am not working as a crew member on an offshore fishing boat, I cast my own net to catch enough fish for my family. When I catch a big fish, I sell it to buy rice. This is a simple job, but it has not been lost for generations," Mr. Ngoc confided.

In recent days, some fishermen have caught a lot of anchovies. **Photo: NN**

Interestingly, recently, many tourists coming to Nhon Ly have intentionally woken up early, gone to the beach, stood watching fishermen cast their nets, some joined the fishermen in pulling the fish up. They cheered with delight when they saw the fish and shrimp still alive, wriggling in the nets that they pulled up with their own hands.

Many tourists enjoy pulling the net with fishermen. **Photo: NN**

Ms. Le Thi Lien, a tourist from Ho Chi Minh City, associated this trawling profession with the experience of “being a fisherman” in Hoi An, which attracts many domestic and foreign tourists. “Nhon Ly beach is quite wild, the people are gentle, hospitable, and enthusiastically guided me on how to trawl. I think it is possible to develop this profession into a typical tourism product of the fishing village, both preserving the traditional profession and attracting more people from far away like me to come here, to learn more about coastal life, love of the sea, and community cohesion in a small, peaceful fishing village,” Ms. Lien shared.