At Hon Ro fishing port, Nam Nha Trang ward (Khanh Hoa province), the atmosphere in the last days of January becomes bustling when a series of fishing boats line up to dock.
On the ship, large-sized tuna are brought ashore amidst the joyful laughter of fishermen after a long journey at sea.
According to research, to have a smooth first sea trip of the year, many ships have departed before the Lunar New Year.
Each trip usually lasts from 20 - 25 days. Fishermen bring all necessities, candies, drinking water and even banh chung to celebrate Tet in the open sea, with the desire to bring "sea fortune" back to the mainland.
Ship owners said that the price of tuna at the wharf currently ranges from 9,000 - 100,000 VND/kg. With this price, fishermen can ensure profit after deducting fuel and living expenses.
High-quality tuna is purchased by businesses and focal points to supply sashimi restaurants or process fillets for export.
Mr. Nguyen Van Ba - Head of Hon Ro Fishing Port Management Board - said that in recent days, the seafood output at the beginning of the year to the port has been quite abundant. In addition to tuna, fishermen have also harvested skipjack tuna, mackerel, herring, squid...
Specifically for tuna, each ship docking at the port achieves an average output of about 2 - 3 tons, selling price of about 100,000 VND/kg, equivalent to the same period last year.
With the current output and selling price, fishermen will definitely make a profit in the first sea trip of the year," Mr. Ba assessed.
According to the Hon Ro Fishing Port Management Board, in the next few days, the remaining offshore vessels will continue to go ashore. The unit has proactively arranged personnel to support fishermen to complete procedures for loading and unloading and conveniently consume seafood.
Fisherman Tran Hoang - owner of ship KH 96255 TS (Nam Nha Trang ward) - said that in this year's Tet sea trip, his ship caught 84 tuna, with a total output of more than 3 tons.
After deducting gasoline and essential goods costs of about 120 million VND, each crew member has an income of 25 - 30 million VND.
Meanwhile, Ms. Nguyen Thi Tuyet - owner of a seafood purchasing facility in Nha Trang area - said that from the 7th day of Tet to now, the amount of seafood arriving at the port has increased significantly compared to the same period last year.
On average, she buys about 2 tons of seafood per day, creating regular jobs for 5 local workers with a stable income.
The favorable first sea trip of the year not only brings income to fishermen but also creates a vibrant production atmosphere, opening a year of expected bumper harvest for offshore seafood exploitation in Khanh Hoa.
