Fishermen in Nghe An province stay out at sea all night to catch tuna.
(Baonghean.vn) - Since fishermen invested in and installed a series of high-voltage lights to attract seafood at sea, the tuna fishing industry has become more efficient, with production continuously increasing and bringing income to the people.
We met Captain Ho Van Tinh, owner of fishing boat NA 903.51 in Son Hai commune (Quynh Luu district), as his boat had just docked at Lach Quen port after 7 days of fishing at sea. Unlike other vessels that use purse seine nets, Captain Tinh's boat specializes in longline fishing for tuna and squid. In the boat's hold, trays full of tuna were being transported ashore for sale to traders.
 |
| Fishermen from Quynh Luu go out to sea using high-voltage electric lights to catch tuna. Photo: Viet Hung |
On this return trip, the crew caught over 1 ton of tuna, generating over 100 million VND in revenue. To obtain these trays of fresh tuna, the crew members had to stay up many nights, fishing under high-powered lights. Upon returning to shore, the fish were purchased at a high price, much to the crew's delight.
To attract prey, especially tuna, fishermen in Son Hai, Tien Thuy, and Quynh Long communes have invested hundreds of millions of dong in high-pressure sodium lamps on their boats in recent years. Currently, each fishing boat uses two types of lamps: high-pressure sodium lamps and LED lights, with each boat equipped with 250-300 bulbs, and some boats investing in around 400-500 bulbs.
Thanks to the increasing number of electric lights on boats, the light shines far out at sea, attracting prey from other areas, creating favorable conditions for fishermen to effectively surround and catch tuna.
 |
| When night falls, the lights are turned on and the fishermen begin fishing for tuna. If they're lucky, one person can catch 200-300 kilograms of fish per night. (Photo: Provided by the fishermen) |
According to fisherman Ho Dinh Binh from Son Hai commune, when night falls, the high-voltage lights are switched on, which is the most suitable time for fishermen to fish for tuna. Each crew member holds a fishing rod and drops bait into the sea. The tuna, attracted by the light, gather to eat the bait and get caught in the trap. On lucky nights, an average worker can catch 2-3 quintals of tuna with just a simple rod, earning millions of dong each night.
 |
| After about 7-10 days at sea, fishermen return to shore to unload their catch and sell it to traders. Photo: Viet Hung |
Mackerel are predatory fish that surface to feed during the day and return to the bottom at night. What fishermen appreciate most is the market, with stable and relatively high prices (from 100,000 to 120,000 VND/kg). Previously, mackerel caught by fishermen in Quynh Luu were preserved and exported to markets in South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, and other countries.
Since the beginning of the year, due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, the purchase price of tuna has decreased to 60,000 - 70,000 VND/kg. However, according to local fishermen, thanks to the decrease in fuel prices and especially the fact that traders buy the fish when they are brought ashore, they are still confident in continuing to fish at sea.
 |
| Mackerel is a specialty fish that fishermen in Quynh Luu district harvest over 4,000 tons per year. Photo: Viet Hung |
According to statistics, Quynh Luu district has nearly 1,200 fishing vessels, of which about 700 are offshore fishing vessels specializing in catching grouper. To catch this species of fish, in addition to using hooks, fishermen also use nets to encircle and catch them.
Mackerel are most abundant from September to February of the following lunar year. Thanks to this abundant seafood resource, fishermen in Quynh Luu catch over 4,000 tons of mackerel annually, generating hundreds of billions of dong in revenue.
