'Hunting' for export of sea shrimp in Nghe An sea area

(Baonghean.vn) - These days, from early morning on the beaches of Quynh Lap, Quynh Lien (Hoang Mai town), Quynh Bang (Quynh Luu) and coastal communes of Dien Chau are bustling with boats and people harvesting shrimp.

The shrimp season at sea usually starts from March to September of the lunar calendar, most concentrated in May and June. Depending on the tide, shrimp appear more or less, on days when the sea is clean and the water is clear, shrimp appear near the shore, following very thick currents.

Bustling video of shrimp farming on Quynh beach

Fishermen have two ways to catch shrimp. Near the shore, they use push nets - this method uses a wide-mouthed fishing net, attached to wooden or bamboo bars and pushed by hand against the current.

Mr. Truong Van Thai in Village 5, Quynh Lien Commune said: He wakes up at 4am, goes to sea and returns around 9am; each day like that he can catch about 200-2500kg of shrimp. The type of shrimp caught near the shore is usually small, so people use it to make fish sauce.

The tool for catching shrimp near the shore is the pusher - a tool made of bamboo or wooden sticks, with a wide mouth and a mesh bag to scoop up shrimp.

Mr. Truong Van Thai in village 5, Quynh Lien commune said that in one morning he can scoop more than 200 kg of shrimp.

The second way of fishing is for small boats to use cast nets, fishing about 1 - 2 nautical miles offshore. Each trip like this can catch 4 - 5 quintals, twice as much as using push nets.

Large-sized sea shrimp are caught by using a net, so they are used to dry. Currently, each kilogram of large fresh sea shrimp is sold for 7,000 VND/kg, each trip can reach 3 - 3.5 million VND, when there is a lot of shrimp, there can be 2 trips/day.

Dried shrimp costs between 80,000 - 100,000 VND/kg, mainly sold to traders for export to the Chinese market.

Fishermen transfer shrimp to shore for purchasing points.

Mr. Ho Ngoc Tang - Chairman of Quynh Lien Commune People's Committee said: "Sea shrimp exploitation is not the main occupation of the people here, but during the main season, many people wake up early to catch shrimp with a push basket. Currently, in Quynh Lien Commune, there are 3 points to buy fresh shrimp for processing, each day can buy dozens of tons for people. Thanks to the fresh and abundant source of goods, Quynh Lien dried shrimp is also present in many markets and is popular."

Small shrimp caught near shore can be used to make fish sauce and shrimp paste.

Shrimp can be processed into fresh, sweet and fragrant dishes, such as: stir-fried, cooked in soup, made into salad... In large quantities, shrimp is dried for sale, besides, a large quantity is used by fishermen to salt shrimp paste and process fish sauce.

After being caught, the shrimp is washed and drained, put into earthenware jars or cement tanks with tight lids and dried in the sun. During the drying process, stir occasionally and dry in the sun. The stronger the sun, the faster the shrimp paste ferments. After drying for about 3 months, the shrimp turns purple and is ripe, with a very characteristic aroma.

Dried shrimp costs between 80,000 - 100,000 VND/kg.

Shrimp is washed, put into cement tank to salt to make shrimp paste, fish sauce.

Currently, the amount of shrimp moving closer to shore is very favorable for exploitation by fishermen with small capacity boats. In Hoang Mai town alone, there are nearly 100 shrimp fishing boats. With the weather being favorable for seafarers, the output of shrimp is expected to increase in the coming time. Thanks to the bumper harvest from shrimp fishing, many fishing households in Quynh sea have a good source of income to improve their lives.

Thanh Thuy

Hoang Mai Radio Station