Despite threats from Chinese ships surrounding a drilling rig illegally placed in Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf, fishermen are going out to sea.

Fisherman Tran Ban, from Man Thai ward, Son Tra district, central Da Nang City, is carefully preparing to embark on a long voyage. He said he hopes to harvest a bumper haul on its first trip.

“The Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) sea areas have been the main fishing grounds of fishermen in the central region for a long time,” he said, adding that he has worked in the two fishing grounds for over four decades.

Fishermen Le Van Le said he earns his living by fishing offshore.

They expressed their anger with China’s acts in the East Sea and demanded China withdraw its rig, bringing back calm to their fishing ground.

They said they will continue fishing at deep sea to keep the fishing ground for their descendants while safeguarding national sovereignty over the country’s seas and islands.

During these days, Tho Quang fishing wharf in Da Nang city is bustling with fishing vessels coming back or heading out to sea.

Like Ban and Le, fishermen in Cu Lao hamlet, Binh Son district, central Quang Ngai province, are in a hurry to checks their vessels and buy more fishing tools and necessary goods for their next voyages to Hoang Sa waters. They are not intimidated by China’s brazen actions in the East Sea.

Fisherman Hoang Duoc Su, owner of vessel Qng 95195-TS, said he has invested nearly 500 million VND to repair his ship, buy fuel, food, fresh water and ice for the next trip, which starts on May 20.

In the central province of Ha Tinh, fishermen still go out to sea to catch seafood despite the difficulties and possible dangers, contributing to economic development and protecting the country’s sovereignty, said Nguyen Van Thanh, head of the fishing trade union of Cam Nhuong commune, Cam Xuyen district.

While loading fishing tools and necessary goods for his trip starting on May 17, Pham Van Tu, captain of a fishing ship from Long Hai town, Long Dien district, southern Ba Ria-Vung Tau province, affirmed he and his colleagues are not frightened because they are fishing in the country’s waters.

China’s illegal placement of its rig Haiyang Shiyou-981 in Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf could not intimidate Vietnamese fishermen, by contrast they are determined to go out to sea. Each fishing vessel is considered a live landmark to safeguard the country’s sovereignty over seas and islands.

According to the Vietnam Fisheries Surveillance, about 30 fishing boats from Da Nang city, Quang Nam and Khanh Hoa province are currently fishing in their traditional fishing ground around China’s oil rig.

VNA/VNN