Fishermen in Nghe An are excited to head out to sea after typhoon No. 3.
After Nghe An province issued a document allowing boats to go out to sea, fishermen in various localities hastily prepared for their fishing trips after two days of avoiding the storm.
On the afternoon of September 8th, the Nghi Thuy fishing port (Cua Lo town) was bustling with activity as fishermen busily prepared for their next fishing trip after taking a break to avoid Typhoon No. 3.
While preparing fishing gear, refueling with ice, and gathering supplies for the upcoming three-day fishing trip, Nguyen Quyen, a crew member on a fishing boat in Nghi Thuy, said: “On the evening of September 8th, my crew set sail to fish. The trip is expected to last three days. With the storm over and the sea calm, we hope to have a full hold of shrimp and fish to earn more income.”
On September 8th, after the storm subsided and the sun came out, the fishermen checked their boats, prepared necessary equipment and supplies, and waited for the official announcement from their superiors before heading out to sea.
“This season is the peak of the rainy and stormy season, so taking a break from fishing to ensure safety is necessary. According to forecasts, there will be many more storms from now until the end of the year, so we must take advantage of favorable weather conditions to ensure income. My fleet will set sail on the evening of September 8th and tomorrow, September 9th,” said Mr. Phung Ba Thu, owner of a large fishing fleet in Nghi Thuy.
Based on his years of experience at sea, Mr. Thu said that after storms and periods of rough seas, it's often easy to catch a lot of fish and shrimp, especially valuable seafood, so everyone is eager to go out to sea, hoping for a big catch and high prices.
In Cua Lo, there are about 300 small fishing boats that go out to sea for only a few hours and return within the day. Taking advantage of the sunny weather after the storm, many of these boats have already started fishing.
Mr. Vo Van Tri (50 years old, a fisherman from Nghi Thu ward, Cua Lo town) said: “We leave at 3 PM and return around 8 PM. The seafood we catch, including squid, crabs, and mantis shrimp, is still fresh. We sell it to restaurants or traders when we dock. If we stop fishing, we have no income, so as soon as the storm passes and the weather is favorable, we head out to sea again.”
After three days of sheltering from the storm, on the afternoon of September 8th, fishermen in Hoang Mai town began preparing for their next fishing trip. Hundreds of fishermen were loading food and essential supplies onto their boats.
Dried food, rice, noodles, drinking water, medicine, personal clothing, etc., needed for a long voyage at sea, were quickly loaded onto the ships by the crew. The ships were being refueled and thoroughly inspected by the crew before leaving port.
Mr. Phan Van Hai (Quynh Lap, Hoang Mai Town), owner of the NA91280 fishing fleet, said: “My fleet, consisting of 6 fishing boats and 1 support vessel, has returned to take shelter from the storm. On the afternoon of September 8th, after the Provincial People's Committee issued a document allowing boats to go out to sea for fishing, we are actively transporting ice, pumping fuel, gathering nets, fishing gear, food, clean water, and gas cylinders onto the boats, ready for the post-storm fishing trip. The fleet plans to go out to sea for 4 days, hoping to bring back many valuable seafood items such as tuna, squid, and scad.”
At the fishing ports, the atmosphere is busier and more urgent than ever. Fishermen are all excited and eager to set sail, hoping for a more abundant seafood catch in the coming days, as it's usually easier to find schools of shrimp and fish after a storm.
Major Ho Sy Duc, an officer at the Quynh Phuong Border Guard Station, who is processing procedures for fishing boats to go out to sea, said that during this period, the unit received 268 fishing boats seeking shelter from the storm. After the storm subsided, the authorities are actively processing procedures and guiding fishermen to depart, and it is expected that about 400 fishing boats will set sail from the Corn estuary tonight and tomorrow morning.
Local fisheries logistics service providers also create favorable conditions for fishermen to purchase fuel, ice, and fishing gear on deferred payment terms, and extend debt repayment periods to enable boats to set sail sooner.
According to reports, as of the afternoon of September 8th, approximately 70% of fishing vessels in the localities were preparing to set sail, and this number is expected to increase in the coming days. Before allowing the vessels to resume fishing operations, local authorities and relevant agencies inspected and reminded boat owners to reinforce and repair damaged parts to ensure safety during fishing.
Currently, Nghe An is entering the peak season for storms and typhoons. According to the latest forecast, there is a possibility of two more storms appearing near the East Sea after Super Typhoon Yagi (Typhoon No. 3).
Therefore, during their voyages at sea, fishermen need to pay special attention to closely monitoring weather forecasts to take measures to prevent natural disasters. At the same time, when receiving forecasts of approaching monsoon winds, heavy rain, etc., they should quickly return to land to seek safe shelter.
The People's Committee of Nghe An province has just issued urgent Official Document No. 7642/UBND-NN dated September 8, 2024, regarding the permission for boats and ships to go out to sea. Accordingly, the Provincial People's Committee has lifted the ban on boats and ships going out to sea during Typhoon No. 3, allowing fishermen to go out to sea to catch seafood and operate at sea from 2 PM on September 8, 2024. Boat and ship owners must regularly monitor weather forecasts to proactively prevent and promptly handle the worst possible situations, and maintain contact with their families, the People's Committee of the commune, and relevant units.
