Trawlers dock to sell fish.
A bustling scene in the deep river.
Early in the morning, the Hau River was brimming with water. Fishermen steered their trawling boats out to sea to catch fish. The constant roar of the engines created a bustling atmosphere along the deep stretch of the river. After a long day of toiling on the river, the fishermen brought their trawling boats ashore, selling their shrimp and fish briskly to the locals. We took advantage of the midday sun to be present at the section of the Hau River (in Binh My commune, Chau Phu district). From the riverbank, women carrying basins of fish sat huddled together in an open area, waiting for customers to come and buy their evening meals. Stopping our car by the roadside, we took a stroll to see the women selling their freshly caught fish and shrimp.
The fish and shrimp were still fresh, jumping and wriggling, looking very appetizing. For a long time, the Hau River has been home to many aquatic species, sustaining countless lives of fishermen. This season, fishermen are catching a lot of catfish, carp, tilapia, goby, and other types of fish, as well as shrimp and prawns… These fish are delicious and nutritious no matter how they are prepared. While we were busy choosing fish to stew with pepper, we were surprised to find a basket of tiny, finger-sized, very fresh and delicious sweet potato fish. In the past, this type of fish only appeared in the fields when the floods came. In years with major floods, sweet potato fish reproduced so abundantly that people had to dry them for storage. However, in recent years, this fish has become scarce.
Seeing our puzzled expressions, the fish vendors explained that during the dry season, the fish return to the deep river. When heavy rains pour down on the fields, the schools of scad fish at the bottom of the water begin to find places to breed. When the floods come, they migrate to the fields to breed, and then grow larger with the rising water. Perhaps because the locals are accustomed to harvesting many types of fish from the river year-round, they are very familiar with the characteristics of these delicious fish. We quickly bought some plump, wriggling scad fish for 100,000 VND/kg. If this type of scad fish were sold in city markets, it would be priced at 250,000 VND/kg. We asked why they were selling them so cheaply. The women chuckled: "It's our own produce, young man! We harvest this fish ourselves, so we sell it at a reasonable price so that people can buy it to prepare meals."
Fishermen select fish on their boats.
The bustling market wharf
Throughout the year, the Mekong Delta reflects the lives of countless fishermen who eke out a living by catching fish and shrimp to support their families. As the afternoon sun fades, in the distance, trawling boats cut through the water, bustling towards the market. Fishermen laboriously carry nets of fish and shrimp ashore to sell to the small traders. The sound of engines running on the river blends with the shouts and calls of the fishermen vying to buy fish, creating a lively market atmosphere. We met Mr. Nguyen Van Viet sitting relaxed on the deck of his boat after hours of hard work trawling on the river. Mr. Viet said that although he has reached his sixties, due to his limited financial resources, he has to work hard to make a living as a fisherman.
Pointing to the fishing village on the sandbank, Mr. Viet said that year-round, the villagers there have no land for farming and mainly live by trawling and netting, a trade passed down through generations. In the past, the river was full of fish and shrimp, and this fishing village had a stable income thanks to the bounty of nature. In recent years, more and more people have been fishing, so the fish yield has decreased. Mr. Viet himself catches over ten kilograms of various fish each day, earning more than 400,000 VND after deducting all expenses. “This season, the trawling boats mainly harvest scad, catfish, barracuda, tilapia, shrimp, and prawns… Some days, when the fish migrate, we strike it rich and earn millions of dong,” Mr. Viet said excitedly.
While chatting with Mr. Viet, we suddenly saw many more trawling boats docking. Mr. Viet explained that these trawling boats only use Thai nets with wide mesh sizes and do not use prohibited fishing gear. Thanks to this, many fish species still take refuge in the deeper sections of the river. "Trawling with Thai nets is very hit or miss! Some days, we catch very little fish and shrimp. If fishermen fish responsibly, the river itself will sustain their families," Mr. Viet confided.
Stepping onto Mr. Tài's trawling boat, we observed the workers diligently bailing water from the boat's hold to catch fish. Mr. Tài is from Phó Ba islet (Mỹ Hòa Hưng commune), and he makes a living year-round by trawling with Thai nets. Seeing our interest in his work, Mr. Tài honestly said that today's tide was favorable, so he had a good catch of fish and shrimp. Currently, there are still some deep pools in the Hậu River that serve as shelters for many delicious fish species. Near the Mỹ Hòa Hưng islet, the wide area of the river is home to an abundant source of various fish species such as catfish, silver carp, and toadfish.
However, Mr. Tai said that trawling in deep areas requires a large trawling boat with a powerful engine to pull the net across the deep holes. “Sometimes the trawl handle gets caught in the deep water, almost sinking the boat. In such places, we have to quickly reduce the engine speed so the boat glides slowly. Thanks to this experience, I catch a lot of fish, earning over 500,000 VND per day,” Mr. Tai said. Like any profession, earning an honest living requires hard work, sweat, and effort. The same is true for fishermen who make a living by trawling; they work hard to earn money through their diligent labor.
Nowadays, nature is no longer as generous, and people are more conscious of protecting aquatic resources in the river sections by using traditional fishing gear. Many people confide that they are fishing responsibly so that in the future they will still have fish and shrimp to make a living.
Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/xom-cao-ven-song-hau-a421139.html
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