After the Lunar New Year holiday, Dong Tac fishing port in Phu Yen ward has been becoming bustling on the morning of the sixth day of the first lunar month, as vessels remaining at sea throughout Tet docked in succession, bringing their first catches of the year ashore.
On the morning of February 22, fishing vessel numbered PY 90189 TS, owned by fisherman Nguyen Van Khoa of Phu Yen ward, returned after more than 40 days at sea. Compensating for the long time away from home, the hold was filled with ocean tuna, with an output of about 3.5 tonnes.
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| Ocean tuna are taken out of frozen holds on vessel decks. |
Several other vessels also docked one after another, creating a vibrant scene at the harbour entrance. Vessel PY 90188 TS, owned by Nguyen Van Duc, brought back more than 2 tonnes of ocean tuna after 40 days offshore. Meanwhile, vessel PY 90909 TS, owned by Ho Ngoc Hoi, caught nearly 130 fish, equivalent to almost 3.7 tonnes.
Fishing port abuzz during late Tet
Dong Tac fishing port entered its most bustling time of day as the sun rose higher. Fishermen swiftly opened ice holds and lifted each ocean tuna onto the pier. Within minutes, the fish were moved to the purchasing area, where staff weighed them, inspected quality and sorted them by size. Once meeting standards, the tuna were carefully packed with ice from the inside out and arranged in neat layers in refrigerated trucks for transport to processing plants.
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| Enterprises purchase, pre-process and classify ocean tuna directly at the port. |
The purchase price of ocean tuna at the port currently ranges from 105,000 to 110,000 VND per kilogramme. With catches of between 2 and nearly 4 tonnes per vessel, the first fishing trips of the year have generated significant income. The joy extends beyond vessel owners and crew members to fish handlers and workers engaged in loading and preliminary processing, who are also working briskly to meet early spring shipments.
Amid the busy trading atmosphere, Cao Thanh Hung, Deputy Head of the Exploitation Department at Ba Hai Joint Stock Company, monitored each batch of fish as it arrived. He said the company was purchasing all available fish at the port, making prompt payments in cash to ensure fishermen could celebrate a belated but fulfilling Tet.
After their long voyages, vessel owners are giving crew members several days off to reunite with their families. Tet may arrive late for them, but it is no less warm. In the small coastal alleys, laughter resounds as relatives meet again after more than a month apart.
According to the provincial Sub-Department of Fisheries, Sea and Islands, in the first six days of the Lunar New Year, 18 offshore fishing vessels docked at ports across the province, with a total catch of about 43 tonnes of yellowfin tuna. Around 60 additional vessels are expected to dock in the coming days. Most of the first fishing trips of the year have reported high yields and good incomes, providing momentum for fishermen to continue venturing offshore.
Translated by KHUONG THAO
