Fishermen pick the first spring shoots
(Baonghean) After the joyful days of Spring and Tet, fishermen in Quynh Luu, Cua Lo had their first offshore trip in the year of Nham Thin 2012. The victories on the first day of the new year promise that this year will be a year of bumper harvest...
At Quynh Luu:
Putting aside an unfavorable year due to weather conditions as well as many fluctuations in the market, fishing and aquaculture activities encountered many difficulties. Services on shore were also disrupted, there were times when theSeafood export enterprises in the area do not dare to sign large contracts for fear of not having enough supply. Therefore, people's lives still face many difficulties. From the 3rd and 4th days of Tet, fishermen in Quynh Luu district have had their first offshore trip of the new year.
Products of the first sea trip of the year of Cua Lo fishermen. Photo: Khanh Ly
After a week at sea, early in the morning of February 1 (the 10th day of the lunar calendar), the boats returned full of fish and squid. The trays of fish and squid were as fresh as spring branches, promising that the year of Nham Thin would be a year of both good and bad luck.
At Quynh Phuong fishing port and Lach Quen fishing port, the atmosphere on the first day of the year was bustling and busy despite the biting cold of the prolonged cold spell. On the wharf and on the boats, everyone was busy with their work.
Mr. Tran Van Du, a boat owner in Quynh Phuong commune, said: "My family's boat set sail on the third day of Tet. After the New Year's ceremony and the rituals to worship the sea god, my boat set sail smoothly. And after just one week at sea, my boat caught 20 tons of fish and squid... Calculating and deducting expenses, each crew member on the boat earned from 5 to 6 million VND." According to Mr. Du, the prices of fish, squid, and shrimp are quite stable at this time: anchovies cost from 10 to 12 thousand VND/kg, exported hairtail fish is 130 to 140 thousand VND/kg; fresh squid, depending on the type, costs from 180 to 300 thousand VND/kg. The prices at this time are quite high compared to before Tet. If the prices are like this all year round, the fishermen's lives will be less difficult.
On the first day of the year, Quynh Luu fishermen set out and brought back full catches of fish, promising a bountiful year...
In Nghi Hai, Nghi Thuy (Cua Lo Town):
This year, the prolonged cold, unfavorable weather, and rough seas have affected fishermen's production at the beginning of the year. Nghi Hai ward has 71 boat teams with more than 500 seafarers, but up to this point, in addition to small boats fishing sporadically near the shore, only 10-12 pairs of boats have left port. Mr. Ngo Binh Son - Secretary of Nghi Hai ward Party Committee said: "Each 1-2 day trip to sea for fishermen at the beginning of the new year also brings in an income of about 10 million VND. This year, the weather is bad, so many boat owners are still waiting for a favorable time to leave port, so that the first departure will be lucky, with a full hold of shrimp and fish...".
Nghi Thuy Ward has nearly 200 fishing boats of all kinds, including 16 offshore fishing boats with a capacity of 320 CV or more. There are 3 pairs of boats going out to sea from the 6th day of Tet and harvesting although the yield is not high. On the afternoon of the 6th day of Tet, Mr. Phuc (Block 1, Nghi Thuy) chose the time to hold the first departure ceremony of the year. His two pairs of boats with a capacity of 400 CV earned about several tens of millions of VND in one day at sea. Mr. Phuc said: "I only go for a day, because the cold weather and rough sea make it difficult to fish. I will probably have to wait until after the full moon when the sun is warm to go out to sea again...".
Having just returned from his first sea trip of the year, fisherman Nguyen Van Cay happily said: "The first departure ceremony of the year for fishermen has become a cultural feature of the sea. Working all year round on the vast waves, the first departure ceremony of the year is an occasion for fishermen to express their respect to the sea god. Celebrating the past year of peaceful fishing at sea, praying that in the new year every sea trip will return with a full hold of shrimp and fish."
According to Mr. Cay's experience of more than 30 years at sea, this year fishermen will have a prosperous fishing season. "In 2011, Nghi Thuy fishermen had a great success, the average income of a member was about 50 million VND/year. The whole Nghi Thuy ward has exploited 5,800 tons of various types of seafood, worth about 63 billion VND. That is the motivation to create excitement for fishermen to continue the new fishing season with high output...", Mr. Cay said.
Since most offshore fishing boats are still waiting for warm weather, business activities at seafood markets, fishing ports, cold storages and processing facilities in Cua Lo are still quite quiet until the 10th day of Tet. However, fishermen are still optimistic, hoping for a warm sea season, believing in good news from the sea.
Many people expressed their wish to be given favorable conditions to borrow money from banks to upgrade and purchase high-capacity boats, increase fishing output, improve income and living standards. Because the current reality is that the cost of repairing, building and upgrading boats is quite high (a newly built boat costs about 2-2.5 billion VND), it has become a difficult problem for many fishermen who want to stay at sea and go offshore...
Anh Duy - Tinh Hue - Khanh Ly
