Boats full of fish have docked at the villages of the central coastal province of Quảng Ngãi in recent days. Photo tienphong.vn

QUẢNG NGÃI — In the past few days, boats full of fish have docked at villages in the central coastal province of Quảng Ngãi.

All fishermen and their families hope for a prosperous year.

At Sa Kỳ fishing port, in Bình Châu Commune, fishing boats with hundreds of fishermen aboard were arriving at the port.

Traders and trucks were gathering at ports to purchase fish.

The atmosphere is busier than before Tết, fisherman Võ Thành Nhân said.

Returning home after a fishing trip at the beginning of the New Year, many local fishermen are happy as the price of seafood has risen and the boats were full of fish.

"This is a good sign for the beginning of a season full of hope,” Nhân said.

Nhân said that after just one night fishing at sea, a boat can collect 5 to 10 tonnes of fish.

With prices ranging from VNĐ20,000-30,000/kg, each vessel owner earns hundreds of millions of đồng in profit.

After expenses, shipowners pay each fisherman from VNĐ2 million to VNĐ3 million per trip.

He said last year, due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, seafood prices declined. “At the beginning of the year, the price is increasing again, so we (fishermen) are very happy.”

Nguyễn Văn Ánh, a fish trader at Sa Kỳ fishing port, said that right after seafood was transferred to shore, it is chilled to be loaded onto trucks for sale in the province and nearby.

“Each day, a trader can purchase 20-25 tonnes of fish,” Ánh said.

The bountiful trips at the beginning of the year help fishermen have more income and contribute to creating jobs for thousands of seasonal workers in fishing villages in Quảng Ngãi Province.

The first trip of the year always means a lot to fishermen. Whether catching a little or a lot, this sets the hopes for the new year.

All ship owners choose a good date and time to depart for the first trip after Tết, hoping for a safe and successful trip.

Unlike previous years, fisherman Đặng Văn Quân, residing in Diễn Ngọc Commune, chose the afternoon of February 9 for the first trip.

Although he did not expect much in terms of yield, his boat hauled in more than 500kg of fish.

"It is beyond my imagination," he said.

On the morning of February 14, many small fishing boats in Diễn Châu District docked at Lạch Vạn port after a night at sea.

Phạm Xuân Phượng, from Diễn Ngọc Commune, said that on the first trip, he also caught more than 400kg of trích fish (Sardinella), with the current price, he earned a net profit of VNĐ2 million.

"Starting a new year with these results, it also gives us a lot of joy and hope for a bountiful fishing season," Phương said.

In recent days, authorities of Diễn Châu District said that 1,237 fishing boats, including 228 offshore vessels, have set out for the first trip after Tết. VNS