A bustling start to the year's fishing trip.

(Baonghean)- The atmosphere at the start of the new year's fishing season is bustling and lively. Fishing boats are loading ice, pumping fuel, and preparing essential supplies, ready to embark on a new fishing season full of hope…

From the morning of the first day of the Lunar New Year (Year of the Snake), fishermen in Dien Ngoc commune, Dien Chau district, brought offerings to Thien Pagoda and Ong Temple to pray for a peaceful year with calm seas. The fishing festival, associated with the first departure of the year for fishing, is a long-standing tradition among the fishermen. To prepare for their first fishing trip of the year, couples of fishermen, some carrying fuel, others pushing carts of ice and other necessities, hurried towards the sea... Fishing boats simultaneously hoisted the national flag and started their engines, creating a bustling and lively atmosphere at the fishing harbor. Mr. Nguyen Van Chau from Ngoc Van hamlet, a fisherman with over 50 years of experience at sea, said: "The annual fishing festival has become a traditional festival for the fishermen of Dien Ngoc. This is an opportunity for fishermen to pay respects to heaven and earth, hoping for safe voyages throughout the year. This year, according to our experience, the sixth day of the Lunar New Year is considered the most auspicious day for the first departure of the year."

Fishermen in Nghi Thuy (Cua Lo) are having a bountiful fishing season at the beginning of the year.

At 2 PM on January 6th, fishing boats laden with fish and shrimp, carrying the joyful spirits of the fishermen, began to dock at Lach Van. As the fishing boat numbered NA 2763-TC arrived, its owner, Phan Ngoc Sam (from Dong Loc hamlet, Dien Ngoc commune - Dien Chau district), hurried ashore with a satisfied smile: “This trip yielded 1.2 tons of colorful fish. The weather was favorable, and we hit a good school of fish, so it was a bumper harvest.” Sam calculated that with that amount of fish, he earned approximately 10 million dong in just one day. Next door, Mr. Nguyen Van Hai's boat (from Ngoc Minh hamlet) had just docked, carrying over 1 ton of fish – one of the boats that had a very successful fishing trip in early 2013. Mr. Hai said: "On the first day of the year, every boat wants to set sail to bring good fortune for the whole year. This year's first fishing trip of the year didn't result in any losses on fuel; every boat caught 700-800 kg of fish or more. The sea was calm, the weather was warm, thanks to which we caught a lot of fish... For example, my boat left at 4 am and by 3 pm we had already unloaded all the goods." Fish prices are still higher than usual. According to Ms. Nguyen Thi Thu, owner of a seafood purchasing depot in Ngoc Minh hamlet: "Every year, buying and selling shrimp and fish from the first shipments of the year is very quick and easy because everyone is relaxed, with the mentality of 'if the beginning is good, the end will be good.' In the coming days, the price situation will not be stable because the supply has not yet met the demand."

Over the past few days, fishing boats laden with fish have been continuously docking at Lach Van port. Traders are crowding the docks. Mr. Nguyen Van Hung, Chairman of the Farmers' Association of Dien Ngoc commune, added: This year, the fishermen of Dien Ngoc are celebrating Tet quite well, because 2012 was a successful year in terms of both the quantity and variety of seafood caught. The total catch reached over 12,000 tons (exceeding the set plan by more than 1,000 tons), accounting for more than one-third of the total catch of the entire district; the production value reached nearly 200 billion VND. Of which, exported shrimp and fish reached 1,260 tons, fermented fish paste 7,200 tons, over 3,000 tons of shrimp, crab, snails, and processed fish sauce reached over 2 million liters. On the sixth day of the Lunar New Year, fishermen in Dien Ngoc caught an estimated 30 tons of colored fish... What's noteworthy about Dien Ngoc is that in recent years, although the number of fishing boats has decreased, the total capacity has increased, as many households have focused on investing in upgrading their capacity; they have also equipped their boats with fish finders and installed winch systems, which are both convenient to operate and economically efficient.

With the bustling atmosphere of preparation for the new fishing season, Nghi Thuy fishing port (Cua Lo) is busier than usual. Trucks carrying supplies, fuel, and food for long fishing trips line up to enter and leave the port. Before setting sail, owners of offshore fishing vessels do not forget to perform the traditional ritual of lighting incense at the bow of their ships, praying for a safe voyage and a bountiful catch. Currently, there are about 400 large and small fishing vessels operating at Nghi Thuy fishing port. With favorable weather and the fishermen's bold investment in modern equipment and facilities, the first fishing trips of the year have been very successful, creating a sense of excitement and optimism among the fishermen. Mr. Nguyen Van Hue, Chairman of the Nghi Thuy Ward Farmers' Association, said: "Most fishermen only leave the sea on the 28th day of the Lunar New Year to celebrate Tet and enjoy the Spring Festival with their families, but by the morning of the 1st day of Tet, many fishermen have already performed rituals to set sail on an auspicious day. This year, the auspicious days chosen by fishermen to 'set sail' are the 1st, 6th, and 9th days of the first lunar month. Most of the fishermen's first voyages have yielded positive results. On the 6th day of Tet alone, fishermen in Nghi Thuy Ward caught more than 100 tons of seafood; the first catches of the year were mainly shrimp, krill, snapper, and small fish... The weather from the beginning of the year until now has been mild northeast monsoon winds and calm seas, which are signs of a 'good harvest,' so most boat owners are taking advantage of this time to increase their catch."

Not only were the large boats bountiful, but even the smaller boats that went out to fish for the day were full of shrimp and fish. Fisherman Nguyen Van Phuong (from Block 8, Nghi Thuy) happily said: “During Tet, every household had an abundance of meat and fat. My boat is small, and I only caught a few dozen small fish in a day, but they were fresh and sold at a good price. Compared to the same period in previous years, this is the highest income we've ever earned from a fishing trip. Hopefully, this year will be smooth sailing.” According to statistics, Nghi Thuy ward has 162 fishing boats, of which 40 have a capacity of over 90 horsepower. 2012 was considered a very successful year for the seafood fishing industry in Nghi Thuy, with a catch of 6,125 tons of seafood, generating over 57 billion VND in production value; many fishing groups regularly had big catches, with an average income of 40-45 million VND per person per year. In addition, the locality has also introduced new fishing methods such as high-speed trawling, gillnetting, and crab trawling... Along with the development of the fisheries service system, this has created many jobs for people in the region.

The boats overflowing with shrimp and fish at the beginning of the year are a source of joy and fulfillment for the fishermen. The bustling atmosphere and bountiful catch from the early days of the year herald a peaceful and prosperous new year for those who go to sea.

Text and photos: Ngoc Anh