'Going backwards' at sea, Nghe An fishermen earn half a million per day
Thanh Phuc - July 1, 2023 16:33
(Baonghean.vn) - Hard work, exhausting energy, wading in water from midnight to morning, but the job of pulling nets in coastal areas brings a good income to fishermen...
On calm days, the trawlers go out to sea to pull their nets. Trawlers have been fishing for a long time in coastal areas. However, today, only a few places still maintain this profession, such as Nghi Thuy, Thu Thuy (Cua Lo town), Quynh Bang, Quynh Minh (Quynh Luu), Quynh Phuong (Hoang Mai town). Photo: Thanh PhucAt around 2am every day, the fishing team will take the net out to sea and assign people to row the basket boat out to sea to cast the net. The net is about 800m long, the rope is more than 1,000m long. The net is cast in a semicircle, the distance between the two ends of the net is usually 300 - 400m. Photo: Thanh PhucAfter the net is released, on the shore, the pulling team of 12-15 people divides into 2 groups standing on both sides, walking backwards to pull the net ashore. Photo: Thanh PhucThe sea net fishing profession is also called “backward walking” by the coastal people. Accordingly, the net pullers have to wrap a belt around their waist, the end of the belt is attached to the rope above the net. When pulling, the fishermen hold on to the net rope with both hands, face the sea, lean back, pull backward, and drag the net from the sea to the shore in even rhythms following the waves. Photo: Thanh PhucThe job of trawling in the forest is usually done by women or by fishermen who are “past their prime” and are in their twilight years. Ms. Tran Thi Lan, who is 70 years old this year and has been trawling in the forest for over 30 years in Thu Thuy Ward (Cua Lo Town), said: “In a group of 13 people, 10 are 60 years old or older, and only 3 are under 60 years old. Young and healthy workers go fishing offshore or do business, or work as factory workers or export labor. Only the elderly participate in this job.” Photo: Thanh PhucMr. Nguyen Dinh Nam, Head of the fishing team in Thu Thuy ward (Cua Lo town) said: "This job is hard and exhausting but has less risk. There are days when we catch a lot of fish, each net brings in tens of millions of VND, but there are also days when we only get a few kilos of shrimp, squid, and crab. Good days make up for bad days, so each person still earns from 300,000 - 500,000 VND/day". Photo: Thanh PhucWhen the sun rose high, the first net was pulled closer to shore. The nets gathered in one place, fish, crabs, shrimps, etc. were removed from the nets. Photo: Thanh PhucMany tourists participate in the experience of pulling a net on Cua Lo beach with fishermen. Photo: Thanh PhucThe fresh seafood from the forest net is bought by tourists or sold to traders as soon as they reach the shore. Photo: Thanh PhucAfter finishing the fishing day, the fishermen pack up their fishing gear, go home to rest and regain their strength for the next day's fishing. "Almost every day, when the weather is calm, we take out our nets and go fishing. Now, the seafood near the shore is gradually depleted, so the income of fishermen who fish with nets has also decreased sharply. However, having been attached to the water and the sea for more than half of their lives, now they don't know what else to do, fishing with nets is still the main job to make a living," said a fisherman. Photo: Thanh Phuc
Clip: Thanh Phuc
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