How warehouse and restaurant owners in Nghe An keep seafood 'fresh' to serve tourists

The seafood purchasing facility of Ms. Tran Thi Dung (Dien Hai, Dien Chau) has dozens of tanks raising fresh clams, snails, mussels... to serve the market. Photo: Thanh Phuc

Ms. Tran Thi Dung (Hamlet 4, Dien Hai, Dien Chau) has over 30 years of experience in trading goods.seafood. Over the past three years, due to the impact of the C-Covid-19 epidemic, the purchase and sale of this item has stagnated and been interrupted. At times, prices have dropped and it cannot be consumed.

Early this summer, when tourism reopened, the food and beverage business also recovered, so seafood consumption was strong and prices increased. At this time, Ms. Dung is stocking tons of sea urchins, clams, blood cockles and sea rum to supply to restaurants, hotels, seafood businesses in tourist destinations in the province and other provinces such as Hai Phong, Thanh Hoa, Khanh Hoa...

Fresh seafood is purchased from fishermen as soon as they are caught. They are then sorted, healthy ones are selected and kept in sand tanks. Photo: Thanh Phuc

“Nghe An seafoodis still considered the most delicious and highest quality. Therefore, businesses in the provinces have placed orders to serve the tourist season, the peak of which is the upcoming 4-day holiday. At peak times, I export about 10 tons of various types of goods a day."

Grasping the needs of customers, on average every day, Ms. Dung's facility has sent out an "army" to buy fresh seafood that has just been caught by people in Hoang Mai, Quynh Luu, Dien Chau, Nghi Loc, to classify and raise in tanks, then gradually sell.

To prolong the life of seafood after purchasing, she was lent sandy land by the Dien Hai commune government, set up tents, dug shallow tanks, brought in seawater, aerated them to nourish them, and when customers needed them, drained the water and loaded them onto specialized vehicles to be transported for import.

When customers have a need, the owner will drain the water and catch seafood to sell. Photo: Thanh Phuc

“With this farming method, seafood can live for 10-15 days without affecting its quality or freshness. Currently, these 10 tanks with an area of ​​nearly 500m2 can hold about 3-4 tons of clams, mussels, dum, cockles... In addition, at home there are many specialized tanks made of concrete and glass to raise other types of seafood. All have been ordered by restaurants, hotels, and other sources to serve tourists during the upcoming holidays. At this time, her facility always has 30-50 workers working regularly to supply fresh seafood to the market.”

Coastal restaurants invest in concrete tanks and aerated glass tanks to keep seafood for short periods of time and serve customers. Photo: Thanh Phuc

Catering serviceseafood in Cua HoiFor the past 5 years, Ms. Nguyen Han Mai has had experience in raising seafood in tanks to serve tourists. At the restaurant, she has invested in 5 concrete and glass tanks to store and raise seafood. Each tank is equipped with an aeration system to create oxygen for the seafood to live; the water is changed regularly and the water source must ensure the appropriate salinity and coldness.

Ms. Han Mai said: “Tourists coming here all want to enjoy fresh seafood, especially the specialty of Cua Lo flashing squid. Therefore, from 1-2 am, I went out to buy flashing squid that fishermen had just caught, to raise in the tank to serve tourists. Usually, this summer, the amount of flashing squid in reserve is not much because the demand from customers is very high.”

With modern technology, seafood is kept in tanks for 5-7 days to ensure freshness for tourists when they come to Nghe An. Photo: Thanh Phuc

With modern farming techniques, seafood raised in tanks by business owners and restaurants can now live healthily for a whole week, meeting the needs of diners, especially tourists during the peak season of beach tourism.