Since China illegally positioned the HD-981 oil drilling rig in Viet Nam’s territorial waters on 2 May, fishermen from the central region, and Da Nang in particular, have shown a strong determination to fish in the Hoang Sa waters and maintain their legal fishing activities.

On Thursday afternoon, Mr Dinh Ngoc Cho from Quang Ngai Province said that he had sold 25 tonnes of seafood from his offshore fishing boat.  After his 15-day fishing trip, he earned 15 million VND and his crew members were paid 5 million VND each.  He added that, during their trip, he and his crew members were persistent with their fishing activities despite continuous aggressive actions by some Chinese ships. 

A fisheries support ship berthed at the fishing wharf after its trip to the Hoang Sa waters

Meanwhile, Mr Le Van Chu from the city said that after his 8-day trip he earned 80 million VND from selling the seafood he had caught.  His vessel’s 10 crew members were paid 2 million VND each.

On the same day, many offshore fishing vessels were berthed bumper-to-bumper at the fishing wharf.  Mr Ong Van Nhien from the Management Board of Da Nang’s Tho Quang Wharf and Port said that, on average, 45 offshore fishing vessels dock at the wharf every day.  He added that the boats have brought home a total of around 160 tonnes of seafood every day since 1 May.  This month’s sea catch output and the number of fishing boats returning to the wharf are equal to the figures of the same period last year.  Currently, local offshore fishing vessels are operating normally in Viet Nam’s fishing grounds.