Fishermen in Nghe An province begin their first fishing trip of the year.

(Baonghean.vn) - On the morning of January 31st (the 4th day of the Lunar New Year), many fishermen in the Quỳnh Lưu coastal area (Nghe An province) began setting out to sea for their first fishing trip of the year, hoping to catch a bountiful harvest and bring good luck for the whole year.

Visiting Lach Quen fishing port in Tien Thuy commune on the 4th day of Tet (Lunar New Year), the atmosphere was bustling with fishermen transporting ice, fuel, and machinery, preparing for their first fishing trip of the new year.

Fishermen in Quynh Luu inspect their fishing gear and motorboats before heading out to sea at the start of the new year.

Captain Ho Van Minh from Phuc Thanh village, Tien Thuy commune, said: "After celebrating Tet (Lunar New Year), we chose the 4th day of the new year to hold a ceremony to set sail for fishing. Currently, we are transporting an additional 1,000 blocks of ice... Before the trip, the crew performed a ceremony to worship their ancestors and the sea god, praying for a boat full of shrimp and fish."

Fisherman Nguyen Van Manh from Quynh Long commune also chose the fourth day of Tet (Lunar New Year) to set sail. Before setting sail, he and his crew carefully checked the machinery and fishing gear on the boat. "We believe that a lucky first fishing trip of the new year will bring good fortune for the whole year, so before departing, the most important thing is to check that the machinery is working and perform a ceremony before starting the engine and heading out to sea," Manh shared.

To begin their first fishing trip of the year, before returning home for the Tet holiday, most fishermen prepare about 3,000 liters of fuel for each vessel, and carefully repair and maintain the machinery. By the morning of the fourth day of Tet, they only need to wait for the ice to be loaded into the ship's hold before heading out to sea to catch seafood.

Mr. Nguyen Van Ke, Vice Chairman of the Tien Thuy Commune Fisheries Association, said: "According to long-standing fishing experience, during the Tet holiday, because fishing is not allowed regularly at sea, there is an abundance of shrimp and fish. Therefore, after the Tet holiday, many fishermen do not miss the opportunity at the beginning of the year to hope for a successful fishing trip..."

Fishermen load ice onto their boats for their fishing trip.

Tien Thuy is one of the communes in Quynh Luu district with a long-standing tradition of sea fishing, and the lives of its people mainly depend on the sea. The entire commune has 320 boats with a total capacity of nearly 80,000 horsepower, making it one of the communes with the largest number of fishing vessels in Quynh Luu.

Along with the enthusiastic start to the fishing season, fisheries logistics services are also in motion, with many gas stations and ice production facilities opening and operating continuously to supply fuel for fishing vessels.

Quynh Luu district has over 1,279 fishing vessels, including 695 offshore fishing vessels with engines exceeding 90 horsepower. Thanks to the construction and upgrading of vessels, and the effective transformation of fishing methods, the district's total catch in 2016 reached 59-60 thousand tons/year, an increase of nearly 9 thousand tons compared to 2015; revenue reached 1,631 billion VND. Among them, the most efficient fishing localities are Quynh Long, Tien Thuy, and Son Hai.

With the joy of a bountiful fishing season in 2016 as motivation, fishermen in the Quỳnh Lưu coastal area set sail at the beginning of the year hoping for a full catch of shrimp and fish, marking a lucky start to the new year.

Viet Hung