Storm No. 3 left haunting statistics on the economic picture of Quang Ninh: 2,692 aquaculture facilities were affected, including 2,162 marine farms, 23 shrimp farms and 507 freshwater aquaculture facilities, with total damage of about 3,692 billion VND. Aquaculture was one of the industries most severely damaged after the storm.
To provide fishermen with a foothold to weather the storm, the Quang Ninh provincial government has stepped in, quickly organizing working groups to inspect the situation, compile statistics, report to the Government, propose to increase the level of support and expand the beneficiaries, including seafood production and processing enterprises. These are essential steps to help fishermen and production facilities in Quang Ninh stand firm after the storm.
At the conference to review the response and recovery work of storm No. 3 on September 21, Chairman of Quang Ninh Provincial People's Committee - Mr. Cao Tuong Huy - directed sectors and localities to complete the assessment of damage, and at the same time propose specific solutions to restore production and develop the economy.
Mr. Huy emphasized the need to focus on amending standards and regulations to adapt to climate change, investing in disaster prevention projects, proposing that the Government increase support levels for affected households; requesting that commercial banks apply debt cancellation, debt extension and interest rate reduction policies, especially supporting aquaculture households.
In particular, the People's Committee of Quang Ninh province is directing relevant agencies to develop a project to restore and rebuild the economy after storm No. 3. In the project, the locality will also take advantage of the opportunity to overcome weaknesses in economic development and apply science and technology to aquaculture.
At the 21st Session (special session) on September 23, the People's Council of Quang Ninh province will consider and issue policies to support people and businesses that suffered heavy damage caused by storm No. 3.
The government's drastic intervention has helped fishermen who were left empty-handed after the storm have more confidence to go out to sea.
The family of Ms. Nguyen Thi Sau (born in 1978, in Dong Linh village, Ban Sen commune, Van Don district) is one of the households that almost lost everything after storm No. 3. All of her family's breeding stock was swept away, causing a loss of up to 200 million VND, while her family still owes the bank 100 million VND to convert styrofoam buoys in 2023.
Sharing with reporters, Ms. Sau confided: "Here, oyster farming takes place every 8 months. After the storm, all the oysters were washed away, including the buoys. Since working at sea, my family has never suffered such a loss as this time. The family's economy and children's education depend on the sea, but now everything has been swept away by the storm. I really hope that the Government and the province will implement policies and mechanisms so that we fishermen can continue to go to sea."
Ms. Sau’s concern is also the expectation of Mr. Nguyen Van Tu in Ha Long commune, Van Don district. Mr. Tu said: “With 40 cages for raising grouper fish in the harvest cycle, my family lost more than 10 billion VND when all the fish were swept out to sea by the storm. The raft was also severely damaged, not to mention I still owe the bank more than 4 billion VND.
After the storm, we really didn't know where to start when there were only a few hundred weak fish left, the family had to sell them at a low price. Many people encouraged us to start again, but we had no capital to reproduce, and our bank debt was piling up. However, hearing the support information, the family became more confident. We are so happy to have help from the government and the bank, and what we need is time."
The early restoration of marine aquaculture in Quang Ninh is very urgent. The immediate task now is for all levels and sectors to promptly implement support packages, creating the most favorable conditions for aquaculture farmers to access preferential loans, while shortening procedures and time for handing over and leasing sea surface and orienting, supporting and creating conditions for people to access and use advanced and modern technologies in aquaculture.
With the fishermen's love and determination to stick to the sea, each boat firmly cuts through the waves, weathers the wind, exploits, and raises aquatic products to build the family and hometown economy.
