Catching herring at the beginning of the season, fishermen in Dien Chau earn millions of dong every morning.

Herring fetches a good price early in the season.

From the end of February onwards, the herring fishing season begins for fishermen along the coast of Nghe An province. As the sun rises over the sea, the fishing boats of fishermen from the communes of Dien Kim, Dien Hai, Dien Thanh... in Dien Chau district return to shore, carrying nets heavy with fresh, green herring.

The herring fishing season begins in late February and lasts until the end of May. According to local fishermen, the nets used to catch herring are fine-mesh nets, 8-10 meters high and over 1,000 meters long. Herring are surface-dwelling fish that usually travel in large schools; when fishermen spot a school of fish moving, they begin casting their nets.

According to Chu Van Quang, a fisherman in Dien Kim commune, herring swim in schools 2-5 nautical miles from the shore. "We usually set off at 2 am and start returning to shore around 8 am to collect the fish. Almost every trip yields 150-200 kg, selling for 20,000-25,000 VND/kg, bringing in millions of dong."

"Each raft buys 20 liters of fuel before going out to sea, equivalent to nearly 400,000 VND. After fishing for 5-6 hours, they catch over 100 kg of herring. With the current selling price of 25,000 VND/kg, they earn a profit of over 2 million VND," Mr. Chu Van Quang shared.

According to fishermen in Dien Chau, two types of herring can be distinguished visually: short, flat herring (wider, thinner flesh) and long herring (narrower, longer, and thicker flesh). Fishermen say that the long herring is more popular with customers and therefore fetches a higher price than the flat herring. While short, flat herring sells for 15,000 VND/kg, long herring sells for 25,000 VND/kg.

Herring is caught near the shore in a short period, so it arrives fresh and vibrant, making it suitable for preparing many delicious and nutritious dishes. Ms. Nguyen Thi Yen, a fish trader, explains that the herring is caught at night and not preserved with ice, ensuring its freshness. After the rafts return to shore, traders quickly purchase, clean, and transport it to nearby markets for retail sale; they also pack it into containers for transport to northern provinces, especially Hanoi, for consumption.

"The herring from Nghe An this season is plump and delicious, so it's popular in the market. Many regular customers in Hanoi place orders, so we buy up everything we have," Ms. Yen said.

Dien Chau currently has the most rafts in the province, with approximately 300. During the herring fishing season, fishermen in Dien Chau catch tons of fish every day. Herring from Nghe An is considered by customers to be fatter and tastier than that from other places.

According to Mr. Le Van Huong, Deputy Head of the Fisheries and Fisheries Inspection Department, the coastal area of ​​Nghe An province has many river mouths and estuaries, creating a large amount of plankton in the Dien Chau estuary. In addition, this season the coastal area has many shrimp, which are an abundant natural food source for herring.

Therefore, herring is fatter this season than in other seasons. A crucial factor is that the herring must be fresh to be delicious. This is also an advantage for Nghe An, because fishermen fish near the shore for a short period, so the fish are still fresh when brought ashore.

Delicious dishes made from fresh herring.

Freshly caught herring, still vibrant green, is used by locals and restaurants/hotels to prepare many delicious and nutritious dishes.

One of the delicious and unique dishes is herring salad. Fresh herring, with two portions of fillet taken, is mixed with onions, lime, fresh herbs, peanuts, etc., then wrapped in rice paper and dipped in sweet and sour fish sauce – very appealing. In Nghe An, herring salad is often prepared by restaurants in coastal areas to serve tourists during the peak season.

A very popular dish, often found in seaside restaurants and markets, is grilled herring. Grilled herring has an attractive golden color and a wonderful aroma. Grilled herring can be eaten wrapped in fig leaves and dipped in chili salt or a sweet and sour fish sauce – both are delicious.

Herring can also be deep-fried until crispy. Fresh herring is coated in batter, then deep-fried until crunchy. This fried dish, served with chili sauce, ketchup, or sweet and sour fish sauce, is guaranteed to leave a lasting impression on anyone who tries it.

In addition, there are many other ways to prepare herring, such as fried herring with fish sauce, herring spring rolls, herring in tomato sauce, herring braised with pineapple... each dish has its own flavor, but all are delicious and nutritious, because the meat has a sweet, tender, and rich taste, containing a large amount of important nutrients that are good for human health.