Without having to go far out to open sea, with just small boats and sampans, fishermen can bring in fresh seafood from the shore, bringing in a stable source of income.

Many traders are present early in the morning to buy sea shrimp from fishermen. Photo: NGOC QUOC

At dawn, the coast of Tho Quang Ward, Son Tra District, Da Nang is bustling with the laughter of fishermen and traders of ‘ruoc bien’ (sea tiny shrimp). For fishermen in Tho Quang coastal area, this is a “fortune” from the sea, bringing in a significant source of income. According to fisherman Nguyen Van Dung in Tho Quang Ward, to catch sea shrimp, fishermen go out to sea from 5:00 pm and return to shore around 5:00 am the next morning.

Sea shrimp are usually concentrated in one certain place, 10 - 80m from the shore, floating thickly on the water surface, so with just a thick net scooping horizontally, fishermen can collect from 500g to more than 1kg of shrimp. Many fishermen said that this year’s shrimp output is not as abundant as in previous years. Mr. Mai Van Cao in Tho Quang Ward shared: “In previous years, the sea shrimp production was very high, each offshore trip could bring in hundreds of kilograms of shrimp. However, this year, the production has decreased significantly, many boats only collect a few dozen kilograms of shrimp per trip. Meanwhile, fuel prices have increased, affecting our income”.

Ms. Dang Thi Hong from Thanh Khe District and many other traders were present at Tho Quang Beach from 5:00 am to purchase shrimp to supply the market. According to Ms. Hong, the decrease in production has caused the price of shrimp to nearly double compared to last year. Fresh shrimp was in season with prices ranging from VND30,000 - 40,000 /kg last year whilst this year the price has increased to VND70,000-80,000 /kg. Shrimp for making fish sauce is VND7,000 /kg, now it has increased to VND 10,000 - 15,000/kg.

Currently, fishermen exploiting sea shrimp are mainly concentrated in Tho Quang, Nai Hien Dong, Man Thai and Thuan Phuoc wards, Hai Chau District, Da Nang. In particular, Thuan Phuoc Ward has about 20 households catching sea shrimp near Tien Sa Port, Hon Chao and Son Tra Peninsula. Ms. Le Thi Bong, a fisherman in Thuan Phuoc Ward has 18 years of experience in shrimp catching, said that this year's sea shrimp output is less than previous years.

When the sea water temperature changes, there are strong winds and cold air, the shrimp schools appear less or mostly dive under the water, making catching more difficult. Although the output is low, the price of shrimp is higher than previous years. Each month, she earns more than VND 10 million from the shrimp fishing business, which allows her to take care of her family's life and send her three children to school.

In addition to sea shrimp, many fishermen in Tho Quang and Man Thai wards are familiar with the job of hunting for baby lobsters, bringing in a stable income every day. Mr. Truong Van Tu from Man Thai Ward said that the lobster hunting season starts from the tenth lunar month and ends in March of the following year with two main types: spiny lobster and green lobster.

Fishermen use cement bags folded into round fans and tied into pieces about 2m long, dropping them to the bottom of the sea near the shore to trap lobsters. In addition, fishermen use sandbags and plastic bottles to keep the traps upright.

In the morning, fishermen row out to check the traps, gently shake the lobsters onto the net spread out on the boat. After that, they carefully put them in jars with oxygen to keep them healthy, then bring them to shore for sale to traders. Although the work is hard, this profession still brings a stable income.

At 10:00am, Mr. Truong Van Diem from Man Thai Ward, Son Tra District is busy pulling the lobster traps to shore. Despite the hardship after many hours at sea, he still has an optimistic smile. “This year, the shrimp harvest is good, but the selling price is cheaper than previous years. Previously, the peak price of lobster seeds was over VND 200,000 /piece, but now it fluctuates from VND50,000 to 70,000/piece. However, due to the large output this year, fishermen's income is quite stable.”

Despite facing fluctuations in weather and market, fishermen still persevere at sea, sticking with the profession passed down from their ancestors. Mr. Tran Van Luc, the Chairman of the Son Tra District Farmers' Association , said that depending on the weather, the output of sea shrimp and baby lobsters varies from season to season, but these are still two types of seafood that bring economic efficiency to fishermen operating along the coast.

Although exploiting seafood along the coast brings a stable income, it requires fishermen to be healthy, persistent, and hard-working to be able to stick with the profession. To support fishermen in difficulty, the Association regularly coordinates with relevant agencies to donate necessities, fishing gear, and gifts during holidays and Tet.

Reporting by NGOC QUOC - KIM ANH - THAI HUYEN - Translating by A.THU