VietNamNet Bridge – Fishermen in the Mekong Delta have earned high profits from their near shore and offshore fishing trips with some having a bumper harvest and far more than last year’s catches during the same period.

Fish trading at the Ganh Hao Port in Bac Lieu Province’s Dong Hai District. – VNA/VNS Photo Huynh Su

In Tra Vinh Province, hundreds of fishing boats returned to Dinh An fishing port in Tra Cu District’s Dinh An Town with a bumper harvest between February 20 and 25.

Tran Cong Duc, a fishing boat owner in Dinh An Town, said his five fishermen went offshore on February 7 and caught more than three tonnes of fish and other aquatic species after 12 days.

He earned a profit of about VND20 million (US$860) from the trip.

Phan Thanh Hoa, a member of the Thanh Cong offshore fishing co-operative group in Dinh An Town, said his group’s five fishing ships each earned between VND35 -50 million ($1,500 - 2,150) from the last trip.

The five fishing boats recently docked at the Dinh An fishing port after 15 days of fishing offshore. The quantity of fish and other aquatic species that the fishing boats caught was 20 - 30 per cent more than the average made during trips last year, he said.

Thua Thinh, head of the Tra Vinh Fisheries Sub-department’s Fisheries Resources Development and Exploitation Division, said the province’s offshore fishing boats had good catch after the Tet holiday, with 53 fishing co-operatives and a total of 1,100 fishing boats.

Most co-operative groups operate well, exchanging information about fishing grounds, markets and prices, he said, adding that such groups have higher profits than fishing boats that operate individually.

Tra Vinh authorities have encouraged offshore fishing boats to set up more co-operative groups to increase profits.

In Bac Lieu Province, fishing boats that fish ruoc (a type of small shrimp) near shore have a high profit up to VND5–7 million ($215 - 300) a day.

Ruoc have appeared in large quantities along the coast and near river mouths this year, according to fishermen. Fresh ruoc is sold at a price of VND20,000 a kilogramme.

Many fishing boats have switched to catch ruoc because of the high price and bumper harvest.

The province’s offshore fishing boats had a profit of VND7–10 million ($300 - 430) for a trip lasting between five and seven days.  

Traders have purchased fish and other aquatic species at 10 -20 per cent higher price compared to last month, according to fishing boat owners.

Trinh Hoai Thanh, deputy director of the Bac Lieu Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said local authorities registered many fishing boats and given notebooks for diaries and instructions to boat owners and captains.

Bac Lieu has a fishing ground of more than 20,000sq.km and more than 1,200 fishing boats. The grounds now have fish and other aquatic species for fishing year round, providing good income for fishermen.

Bac Lieu is expected to catch more than 7,600 tonnes of fish and other aquatic species in the first two months of the year, according to the province’s Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

In Tien Giang Province, dozens of logistic fishing boats have docked at My Tho and Vam Lang fishing ports to reload more than 200 tonnes of fish and other aquatic species caught by the province’s offshore fishing boats, which resumed fishing after Tet after three months of not fishing on sea. The province’s fishing boats catch mostly scad and Indian mackerel. 

Source: VNS