The unique method of catching horseshoe crabs with nets in Quynh Sea.

(Baonghean.vn) - Although only introduced to fishermen in Quynh Phuong ward within the last 5 years, the seine net fishing method has shown outstanding economic efficiency and advantages in protecting aquatic resources.

Transporting horseshoe crabs from the ship to shore.

In the past, when fishermen occasionally caught a pair of horseshoe crabs in their nets, they would often give them to friends and relatives to eat and enjoy. However, recently, seafood dealers have been collecting horseshoe crabs for export, driving up their prices. A pair of horseshoe crabs can fetch between 300,000 and 400,000 VND. They are mainly sold in pairs, one male and one female, regardless of size; as long as the crabs are still alive, they fetch a good price. Horseshoe crabs are increasingly in demand. Whenever a boat arrives at the dock, traders quickly buy up every last one, and then trucks quickly pack them up and ship them abroad.

The joy of a bountiful harvest of horseshoe crabs.

Ms. Chanh Cong, who runs a large seafood purchasing raft in Quynh Phuong ward, said: "Humura (horseshoe crabs) have been caught in large quantities by fishermen in Quynh Phuong for about the last 5 years. When a boat docks, I buy all the horseshoe crabs, no matter the quantity." Along with Ms. Chanh Cong's raft, there are about 20 other seafood purchasing rafts in the commune that buy horseshoe crabs and export them to the Chinese market.

The practice of catching horseshoe crabs originated from fishermen in Van Don, Quang Ninh province. Mr. Tran Dang Hung, owner of fishing boat NA 90 261, said: “Seeing that fishermen in neighboring provinces were doing well at sea, we fishermen from Quynh Phuong ward, Hoang Mai town, invested in horseshoe crab nets. Unlike seine nets or purse nets, which can be used for various other fishing methods, horseshoe crab nets are used exclusively for catching horseshoe crabs. The nets have large mesh, about 20 cm each. A set of horseshoe crab nets consists of about 200 pieces, costing 250 million VND, with annual repairs and maintenance costing around 50 million VND. A set of nets can be used for fishing for 2-3 years.”

To catch horseshoe crabs, fishermen must carefully plan their fishing trips to coincide with high tides. Horseshoe crabs can be caught year-round, but the peak season runs from early April to the end of June (lunar calendar). When summer arrives and the sea water warms, the horseshoe crab population increases. This is the ideal time to cast nets to catch them. The main horseshoe crab fishing grounds are located in the Gulf of Tonkin. The nets should be 4 to 5 nautical miles long, but only 1.5 meters high, as horseshoe crabs only crawl close to the seabed and mud. Vessels equipped with vertical sonar can detect rocks, reefs, and measure water depth. Vessels with engines of 70 horsepower or more are suitable for horseshoe crab fishing, taking approximately 17 to 18 hours to reach the fishing grounds, which are over 100 nautical miles away.

A close-up of a horseshoe crab.

The nets used to catch horseshoe crabs are lowered into the sea and left there for 12 to 48 hours before being pulled up. Horseshoe crabs usually travel in pairs, one male and one female, so when a pair is found, both are caught at once. When packing the crabs into the boat's hold, care must be taken to prevent them from wriggling their tails against each other. The long, stiff tail of the horseshoe crab is sharp like a bayonet; if the tail pierces the shell, blood will flow out, rendering it worthless.

Fisherman Nguyen Hong Son – Chairman of the Fisheries Association of Quynh Phuong Ward – said: “Each fishing trip using horseshoe crab nets usually lasts from 8 to 12 days. Currently, there are 50 vessels engaged in horseshoe crab fishing in Quynh Phuong. During the peak season, each fishing trip brings in at least 100 pairs of horseshoe crabs, and after deducting expenses, fishermen earn tens of millions of dong. Some boats have very successful trips, catching 300-400 pairs of horseshoe crabs per trip, making the fishermen extremely happy.”

Sweet and sour stir-fried horseshoe crab is a delicious dish.

Sea cucumbers are considered a cooling food, so they should be eaten with warming spices such as galangal, lemongrass, chili, and betel leaves. With the skillful hands and years of experience of the chef, we can create unique dishes from sea cucumbers with very distinct flavors. Sea cucumber meat is delicious, and its shell is also very useful, capable of treating colds, flu, and skin diseases in humans and animals. Nowadays, people mainly catch sea cucumbers for their shells to make handicrafts. Sea cucumbers can be prepared in many different ways, such as: sea cucumber blood soup, sea cucumber salad, sweet and sour stir-fried sea cucumber legs, stir-fried sea cucumber with lemongrass and chili, crispy fried sea cucumber eggs, stir-fried sea cucumber eggs with betel leaves, steamed sea cucumber, battered and fried sea cucumber, grilled sea cucumber cartilage, stir-fried sea cucumber with vermicelli...

Nguyen Van