In Vietnam, there are four traditional fishing grounds, including Cà Mau – Kiên Giang, Ninh Thuận – Bình Thuận – Bà Rịa Vũng Tàu, and the Spratly and Paracel Archipelagos. In these areas, thousands of fishermen are sticking to the sea, working to earn a living.
Ships rush to the island when there are signs of bad weather. Tráng and his father began their fishing trip early in the morning.
"I usually go fishing from September to March. After that, I have money to invest in my boat and pay for my children to go to school. I have been doing this job for a very long time and my son wants to follow me. He likes seafaring." - Tran Tri Trang, Fisherman.
The vessel dock in the island district of Cô Tô is one of the biggest fishing logistics services in the Gulf of Tonkin, providing shelter for fishing vessels during storms or extreme weather events. The dock can receive nearly 1,000 vessels.
Huyền and her husband began inshore fishing over 16 years ago. The sea has supported her family ever since.
"Last year, we earned 10,000 USD in total. My two children have worked in Bắc Ninh now and I have two others. We earn enough for our living." - Dang Thi Huyen, Dong Tien Ward, Co To Dist., Quang Ninh Prov.
The fishermen usually work in one area and gather in a group of 12 to 15 pairs of vessels, or form a team to help each other with their catches.
"We go in a group so we don’t have to worry. If a vessel is in distress, we can communicate through the walkie-talkie and another vessel will come to the rescue." - Tang Van Quoc, Nghia Phu Dist., Quang Ngai City, Quang Ngai Prov.
"If we go on a day trip, we can earn about 20,000 USD. We get about 30,000 to 35,000 USD for the trip in 10 days. We have to stick to the sea to protect our national sovereignty" - Dinh Ha, Fisherman, Tu Nghia Dist., Quang Ninh Prov.
Now with the help of the Vietnam People’s Navy, Vietnam Coast Guard, and other authorities, the fishermen can focus on their catches, bringing money home to their families and helping protect the country’s sovereignty.
