At the beginning of the year, the coastal villages of Nghe An province light fires to grill fish.
Thanh Phuc•February 9, 2025 17:14
At this time of year, fishermen are having a bumper catch of herring and anchovies, so the grills in the coastal villages of Nghe An are burning brightly day and night, with workers busy grilling fish from early morning until late at night.
January is the peak season for herring fishing. Fishing boats operate near the shore, returning to port just hours after setting sail. The freshest and largest catches are bought by traders and brought here for processing and grilling before being supplied to the market. (Photo: TP)The fish chosen for grilling must be fresh, with scales glistening like silver, in order to have a delicious, fragrant, and sweet flavor… Photo: Thanh PhucAt this time, coastal villages from Nghi Thuy, Nghi Hai, Thu Thuy (Vinh City), Dien Van (Dien Chau), Van Hai, Phu Nghia (Quynh Luu), Quynh Phuong, Quynh Lap (Hoang Mai town) are constantly grilling herring, anchovies, mackerel, etc., to serve the post-Tet market. Photo: Thanh PhucMs. Nguyen Thi Xuan, a seasoned fish griller in Quynh Phuong ward (Hoang Mai town), said: “Grilling fish requires experience, care, and meticulousness. When arranging the fish on the grill, you have to position them carefully to allow for quick rotation and flipping; while grilling, you have to adjust the charcoal underneath to distribute the heat evenly. Each type of fish has different characteristics; some are thick-bodied, others thin-fleshed, so the grilling time and method also vary.” Photo: Thanh PhucTo ensure the fish cooks evenly, looks appealing, and smells delicious, the griller must constantly monitor and turn the fish. If the heat isn't right, the fish won't cook properly; if it's too hot, it will burn. (Photo: Thanh Phuc)Ms. Ho Thi Thang, owner of a fish grilling facility in Dien Van commune (Dien Chau district), said: “After Tet, market demand increases as people buy fish as gifts, and tourists come to celebrate the Lunar New Year and attend festivals, so we also open earlier. We started grilling fish as early as the 4th day of Tet. On average, our facility grills about 5-7 quintals of fish per day, employing 4-5 workers.” Photo: Thanh PhucThe fish grilling business provides stable employment and income for many local workers in coastal areas. Workers at fish grilling establishments are paid between 250,000 and 400,000 VND per day. Photo: TPHowever, working as a fish griller is a very hard job to make a living. “The outdoor temperature has dropped sharply these past few days, but we're sweating profusely by the blazing charcoal fire. Our hands are constantly stirring the charcoal and turning the fish; even with two layers of thick gloves, they still burn from the heat, and our clothes are covered in smoke and dust,” shared Ms. Hoang Thi Ly, a fish griller in Nghi Thuy ward (Vinh City). Photo: Thanh PhucCurrently, in order to increase the advantages of the grilled fish industry, many coastal localities have planned to build modern and sustainable fishing infrastructure to reduce labor and limit environmental pollution caused by charcoal smoke. Photo: Thanh PhucAt the same time, the aim is to develop grilled fish products into OCOP (One Commune One Product) products to increase competitiveness in the market, create jobs, and provide stable income for workers in the fish grilling industry... Photo: Thanh Phuc
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