Looking forward to the beach season at the end of the year.

(Baonghean) - Currently, the weather is unfavorable, so fishermen in the coastal area of ​​Quynh Luu district are keeping their fishing boats ashore. This is an unusual situation compared to the same time in previous years…

Visiting the Lạch Quèn fishing port in Tiến Thủy commune during the last days of the year, we felt a very quiet atmosphere. Most of the fishing boats belonging to local households were docked. Asking the residents around the port, we learned that some fishing boats had not yet returned from fishing, so there was no buying or selling activity; many other boats were also docked because of the monsoon winds offshore. Mr. Trần Văn Huân (from Quỳnh Long commune), owner of fishing boat NA 90376, who was pumping fuel into his boat, told us that his boat docked 20 days ago and is still unable to go out to sea to fish due to the monsoon. Mr. Huân's boat has a capacity of 460 horsepower and 16 crew members. It was scheduled to dock at Lạch Quèn port on the 8th day of the 10th lunar month. However, after hearing about the approaching monsoon, his boat had to stay at port to avoid the wind. If the weather is favorable, he and his 16 crew members will venture further out to sea to fish.

Having waited for over 20 days, he and the other crew members were eager to set sail soon to harvest the "bounty of the sea" in preparation for Tet (Lunar New Year). According to Mr. Huan, his boat makes an average of two trips per month. Each trip, after deducting expenses, brings in between 120 and 140 million VND; each crew member earns between 5 and 7 million VND per trip. Mr. Nguyen Ba Manh, a crew member on fishing boat NA 90376, shared that this year there have been fewer storms, but more monsoon winds, making it impossible for the boat to go out to sea to fish. "This month, our boat has only been able to make one trip because of the monsoon winds. Hopefully, this weather will pass quickly so that we can go out to sea to fish and earn more income, as Tet is almost here...", Mr. Manh said.

Fishing boats belonging to fishermen from Quynh Luu are forced to stay ashore due to rough seas.

Like Mr. Huan's fishing boat, many fishing vessels belonging to fishermen from Quynh Long, Quynh Nghia, and Tien Thuy communes are currently docked at Lach Quen port, waiting for the monsoon winds to subside before heading out to sea. The unfavorable weather, preventing fishing boats from going out to sea, has significantly impacted the livelihoods of fishermen. Furthermore, supporting services for the fishing industry, such as fuel, ice, transportation, and mechanics, have also suffered losses.

Ms. Pham Thi Xuyen, owner of a fuel station at Lach Quen port, said that due to fishing boats not operating because of the monsoon, her station has no revenue. She explained that to fund her business, she borrowed money from banks and friends. For each fishing trip, her fuel station allows the boats to pay for fuel on credit. When the boats have a successful catch, they repay the money. Conversely, if the fishing boats are unable to operate due to unfavorable weather or encounter problems and remain at port, the fuel station still pays interest to the bank. If the weather is favorable and the fishing boats operate regularly, her fuel station sells an average of over 40,000 liters of fuel per month, earning 40 million VND per month after deducting expenses. “When the fishing boats go out to sea more often, we sell more and have higher revenue. When the boats can't go out to sea, we have to pay interest and suffer losses…,” Ms. Xuyen said.

For Ms. Bui Thi Thuy's family ice production facility in Tien Thuy commune, things are less bustling than before. From four regular workers, only one remains. Around the beginning of each lunar month and on the 16th-17th, the facility is always busy, with machinery running continuously to produce ice. On average, the facility sells over 10,000 ice blocks per month to fishing boats, generating 120 million VND in revenue. If the boats are docked and not operating, the facility's revenue drops by more than half.

Bad weather not only causes fishermen to lose income, but also all related fishing logistics services suffer losses. According to statistics, Tien Thuy commune currently has 14 fuel stations, 28 ice production facilities, 13 seafood collection and trading establishments, and 6 mechanical workshops… employing hundreds of workers. If fishing vessels do not go out to sea or have low fishing yields, the income of related fishing logistics services also decreases. Currently, Tien Thuy commune has the largest number of fishing vessels in Quynh Luu district with 319 vessels and over 2,000 workers. 70% of the commune's population lives off the sea, and the livelihoods of fishermen mainly depend on it. In recent years, many households here have escaped poverty and become relatively wealthy thanks to the sea. Many fishermen believe that the fishing season in the last months of the year in previous years was usually very successful, bringing in large profits for the people. This allowed them to have a more comfortable and prosperous Tet holiday. Currently, due to unusual weather conditions, fishermen can only stay ashore and hope for more favorable days ahead…

Viet Hung

(Quynh Luu Radio Station)