Regularly at 4 pm every day, Mr. Nguyen Xot in Xom Bong, An Phu village, Long Phung commune prepares a few new balloons to replace the old ones for the offshore trip in the early morning of the next day.
Having been attached to the profession for more than half of his life, he still persistently maintains the fishing method that his father passed down. That is to drop balloons into the sea. According to reproductive habits, squid will find a discreet place to lay eggs and crawl into the balloon themselves.
Mr. Nguyen Xot - Xom Bong, An Phu village, Long Phung commune, Quang Ngai province said, "I made this cage, covered with leaves so that when soaked in water it is cool, and the squid has a place to crawl in. I pulled it up and caught the squid.
Having been attached to the profession for nearly 30 years, every 4 am, fisherman Truong Ngoc Sanh drives a small motorboat away from the wharf, heading to the sea area 1 to 1.5 nautical miles from the shore to collect squid balloons. The balloon release area has sand dunes and coral reefs at a depth of about 5-7 meters, where squid leaves often come to reproduce. After collecting squid, the balloons attached to algae or damaged will be replaced to continue attracting squid.
Mr. Truong Ngoc Sanh - Xom Bong, An Phu village, Long Phung commune, Quang Ngai province, said: "I leave at 4 am, I come in at 8 am. Sometimes I get 3, 4, 5 kg, then I go in the afternoon. Before, I could get 10 kg.
The squid trap season lasts from February to August of the lunar calendar, with the peak in April and May. On average, each fisherman harvests 5-7kg of squid per day; on bumper days, it can reach 10kg. In the last months of the season, output is more scarce. Squid leaves are caught when they are still alive, retaining their natural quality, so they are always favored by the market. This type of squid costs from 350,000 - 400,000 VND/kg.
Mr. Truong Ngoc Sanh - Xom Bong, An Phu village, Long Phung commune, Quang Ngai province: "This squid is the freshest, still breathing on the shore. This is the best type of squid because it is caught completely naturally, without collision with nets or other fishing gear, so the meat is very delicious.
When many fishermen have switched to modern exploitation methods, in Xom Bong, An Phu village, Long Phung commune, there are still more than 10 fishermen preserving the traditional squid trap craft with handmade balls. Without hooking, without casting nets, this unique fishing profession has existed for hundreds of years in the fishing village.
