Fishermen in Dien Chau head out to sea for fishing at the start of the new year.

Lach Van fishing port is bustling with fishing boats returning on the first day of the new year. Photo: Xuan Hoang.

On New Year's Day 2022, atLach Van fishing port(Dien Chau) remains bustling with boats returning to port and the buying and selling of seafood. Fishermen say that they should have been resting on New Year's Day, but they stay at sea to earn extra income because of the need to make a living.

Mr. Tan, an elderly fisherman from Dien Ngoc commune, confided: "For us fishermen, only the Lunar New Year brings long holidays; we go out to sea as usual during the Gregorian New Year and other holidays. The fishing time is short in the nearshore waters, so the catch isn't large. Roughly speaking, my boat caught just over 100 kilograms on this first trip of the year."seafoodThe catch included various types of seafood, such as over 40 kg of mantis shrimp, squid, crab, and a small amount of cuttlefish... the rest was a mixed fish, worth over 5 million VND.

On New Year's Day, Lach Van fishing port saw over 50 fishing boats returning from their catches, each with a good income. Photo: Xuan Hoang

Ms. Nguyen Thi Hoa, a seafood trader at Lach Van fishing port, said that the seafood from the fishermen...Dien ChauThe seafood is caught on the same day without being preserved with ice, so it's fresh and delicious. For seafood such as squid, mantis shrimp, crab, and other selected fish, after purchasing, they are processed and transported to rural markets for consumption; lower-value seafood is sold to animal feed processing facilities.

During the New Year's holiday, the demand for fresh food at markets increases compared to normal days. Therefore, in these first days of the year, not only are fishermen actively working out at sea, but seafood buyers like us are also busy all day long.

Seafood caught by fishermen in Dien Chau on the same day is therefore fresh and delicious. Photo: Xuan Hoang

According to Mr. Ngo Xuan Thuy, manager of Lach Van fishing port: On the first day...new yearIn 2022, fishermen in Dien Chau still clung to the sea. Because they fish close to shore, they only return within the day. The catch isn't large, but each boat earns between 100 and 300 kg of various seafood. From 10 a.m., fishing boats begin returning to port, and the bustling seafood trading scene only lasts for about two hours.

"At noon on January 1st, more than 50 fishing boats docked at the port, mostly small boats belonging to fishermen in Dien Chau district. Seafood was purchased by traders from Dien Chau, Yen Thanh, Nghia Dan districts, and other areas. Accordingly, boats that caught a lot of squid, shrimp, and crabs commanded higher prices," said Mr. Ngo Xuan Thuy.