Village 2 (Binh Son commune) and Van Tuong commune are two localities with hundreds of boats associated with the traditional squid fishing profession. According to custom, the squid fishing season usually starts from mid-January of the lunar calendar and lasts about 3 - 3.5 months. However, this year, the high squid price has "dragged" fishermen out to sea earlier than usual.
Recorded at Sa Can estuary, the working atmosphere became bustling after many months of ships having to lie ashore due to storms and floods. At the wharf, fishermen are busy carrying fishing baskets, checking machinery, repairing drying rigs, preparing for a new offshore trip with many expectations.
Amidst the dry sun at the beginning of the year, sweating profusely when transporting necessities onto the ship with his crew, but the face of Mr. Pham Cong Anh (My Tan village, Binh Son commune) still shone with joy. Mr. Cong Anh said that squid prices are at a record high, so everyone is excited and believes that this sea trip will be "a big hit".
I have been attached to the squid fishing profession for more than 15 years, but no year has the price of squid increased as high as it is now, fluctuating from 270 - 300 thousand VND/kg. Therefore, instead of taking a break from the sea and waiting until the end of January to go out to sea like every year, this year we fishermen proactively went out to sea almost 2 months earlier, earning money for spending in the new year," Mr. Cong Anh shared.
Sharing the same excitement, Mr. Nguyen Van Truc (Son Tra village, Van Tuong commune) these days is also urgently repairing and preparing boats to depart. According to Mr. Truc, squid fishing usually starts from the end of January and lasts until September of the lunar calendar every year. Early sea enlargement makes the output of squid caught not equal to the main season, but in return, the selling price is high, so the economic efficiency increases significantly.
From the beginning of 2025 to now, the price of dried squid has continuously increased, from 170 thousand VND/kg to about 270 - 300 thousand VND/kg, so fishermen urge each other to go to sea. On average, each month when going to sea, a fisherman can exploit nearly 2 quintals of dried squid. With the current price, after deducting expenses, each person can earn a profit of about 40 million VND," Mr. Truc said.
According to traders, the reason for the record high price increase of squid is due to strong market demand. If previously, squid was mainly exported to China through unofficial channels, now it has expanded and is consumed well in the Thai market.
Mr. Nguyen Thanh Tu, owner of a squid purchasing facility in My Tan village, Binh Son commune, said: "When squid is not only sold to China but also expanded to the Thai market, price increases are inevitable.
Not only fishermen, squid purchasing facilities also share the joy when profits increase and output stabilizes. “Fishermen catch as much as we buy, there is no longer a situation of stagnation like before,” Mr. Tu said.
