Nghe An fishermen hit it big with blue crabs after storm No. 10

Fishermen caught many valuable seafood

At noon on October 4, Quynh Phuong fishing port was busier as ships arrived one after another after 2-3 days at sea, carrying holds full of seafood: silver pomfret, mackerel, herring, especially blue crab - a high-value seafood species that is being sought after by the market.

Fisherman Nguyen Phuc Hanh, owner of fishing boat NA 70421 TS, residing in Quyet Tien block, Quynh Mai ward, excitedly said: “Based on many years of experience at sea, trips after storms often catch a lot of fish. As soon as the order to open the sea was given, we rushed out to sea. This trip, my boat had 5 workers, fishing close to shore in the Gulf of Tonkin. After only two days, we brought in more than 4 tons of silver pomfret, big and fresh fish. The price of fish is currently high at 40,000 VND/kg, total revenue is over 150 million VND. Each worker is paid about 5 million VND, a not small amount of income for just two days at sea.”

Mr. Hanh said while busily moving the fish from the hold to the shore with his fellow boatmen, selling them to traders while they were still fresh. According to him, at this time, seafood supply is scarce because many boats have just returned from the storm, so fresh fish are consumed quickly, and prices remain high. "We will refuel, provide ice, and replenish supplies to go out to sea again this afternoon," he said.

Not only did many ships catch a lot of fish, many ships also "hit the jackpot" with blue crabs, a seafood species considered a "blessing from the sea" after a storm. The owner of the ship TH 92779 TS Hoang Van Minh, from Thanh Hoa province, docked at Quynh Phuong port and said that after only two days of fishing close to shore, his ship had caught 3 tons of large blue crabs, 2 crabs/kg, with the purchase price at the port ranging from 250,000 - 350,000 VND/kg.

Trader Mach Quang Lam, who specializes in purchasing seafood at Quynh Phuong port, said: “Since yesterday, many ships have docked with large quantities of seafood, especially blue crabs. Each ship collects 2-3 tons of crabs, the high prices make people very happy. I purchase an average of 5 tons per day to supply to agents and restaurants in and outside the province. The price of crabs is high due to the shortage after the storm, but they still sell well because the crabs are fresh, delicious and of good quality.”

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This trip we hit it big, earning more than 500 million VND. All three boats in the team won, everyone was very excited. According to experience, after a storm the sea is calm, crabs often float to the surface so it is easy to drop the seine net and hit the right spot. Fishing close to shore costs little, the fish and shrimp are fresh, easy to sell, and have a high selling price."

Fisherman Hoang Van Minh said

Fishermen overcome difficulties, go offshore and stick to the sea

The bustling atmosphere of going to sea after the storm is also spreading along the coast of the province. In recent days, in coastal communes such as Dien Chau, Hai Chau, Trung Loc, Cua Lo… hundreds of fishing boats have simultaneously set sail, opening the new fishing season.

Mr. Nguyen Van Hong, a fisherman in Chien Thang hamlet, Dien Chau commune, shared: “When the storm has passed and the sea is calm, we take advantage of the opportunity. Every day the boat is on shore means a loss of revenue, so everyone tries their best. We just finished repairing our fishing gear, checking the machinery, refueling and refueling with ice, then we set off. Going out early not only catches fish but also protects our fishing grounds.”

At the fishing port in Dien Chau commune, red and blue painted boats are bobbing on the waves, ready for a new trip to sea. Mr. Nguyen Van Loi, Chairman of Dien Chau Commune People's Committee, said: "During the recent storm, the whole commune had more than 300 boats entering safe storm shelters. After the storm, the government coordinated with the border guards to support people to return to sea, prioritizing electricity supply for fishing port operations, and supplying ice and gasoline. In the past two days, many boats have docked, bringing valuable seafood."

For fishermen, the big fishing trips not only bring economic joy but also motivate them to continue going to sea. Not only creating a large source of income for fishermen, the "bumper" fishing trips after the storm also help restart the seafood production and processing chain after days of suspension due to the weather.

After several days of temporary suspension due to power outages caused by storms, the cold storage facilities in many coastal areas of Nghe An have now returned to normal operations. Fishing boats have been arriving one after another, carrying valuable seafood such as mackerel, squid, shrimp, crab, etc. Traders are busy purchasing, while workers at drying ovens and cold storages are urgently sorting and transporting.

Many traders said that thanks to these successful fishing trips, the seafood market in the province is gradually stabilizing after many days of disruption due to the storm. Fresh seafood is transported to cold storages, wholesale markets and large restaurants in and outside the province.

“After the storm, fishermen both repaired the damage and quickly went out to sea so as not to miss the fish and crabs. Each successful sea trip is a joy not only for the fishermen but also for the traders, processing facilities and fishermen’s families,” said Mach Quang Lam.

Although according to forecasts, storm No. 11 is rapidly approaching the East Sea, with strong winds of level 8-10, near the storm center level 11-13, gusting to level 16; waves 4-6m high, near the storm center 6-8m, rough seas, fishermen will have to stop working to cope. However, local fishermen still maintain an optimistic spirit, flexibly adapting to the weather.

“When the sea is rough, we calm down, and when the storm has passed, we head out to sea again. After the storm, we usually catch a lot of valuable fish and squid,” many fishermen shared, their eyes shining with confidence in the upcoming favorable sea trips.