“Lighting up the sea with fishermen”

The program “Lighting up the sea with fishermen” launched by Laws Newspaper reached Khanh Hoa Province on September 20. The program has been run by Laws Newspaper jointly with organizations and individuals since April 2023 in order to offer practical gifts to fishermen in 28 cities and provinces nationwide with a total cost of VND30 billion.

The program took place in 15 cities and provinces, including Ho Chi Minh City, Ba Ria - Vung Tau, Ninh Thuan, Phu Yen, Quang Tri, Quang Binh, Bac Lieu, Ben Tre, Binh Thuan, Da Nang, Thanh Hoa, Tien Giang, Quang Ngai, Kien Giang and Thai Binh.

Gifts to fishermen in Khanh Hoa.

The program has offered more than 3,000 gifts worth nearly VND15 billion, giving medical examination and medicines to thousands of fishermen; held talks on how to remove the “yellow card” imposed by the European Commission (EC) for Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated Fishing (IUU). The program also awarded nearly 500 scholarships worth more than VND1 billion and many other valuable gifts to fishermen's children. 

Khanh Hoa is the 16th locality where the program “Lighting up the sea with fishermen” has taken place. The program’s organizers have visited and presented meaningful gifts to 200 fishing households. Each gift worth more than 5 million VND included batteries, LED lights, first aid kits, a handbook about sea-fishing”, specialized ropes and a VND1 million voucher. The program also awarded 27 scholarships worth VND2 million each to children of fishermen, officers and soldiers in Truong Sa District.

According to Nguyen Duc Thang, Vinh Phuoc Ward, Nha Trang City, electric lights play a very important role for fishermen during their fishing. Therefore, the gift of the program is very practical for fishermen to cling to the fishing grounds. According to Mai Ngoc Phuoc, Editor-in-Chief of Ho Chi Minh City Laws Newspaper, the Organizing Committee chose Khanh Hoa as the 16th locality to run the program "Lighting up the sea with fishermen" because Khanh Hoa has a long coastline of 385km, about 200 islands, islets along with coral islands on the Spratly Archipelago.

The Resolution No. 09 by the Politburo on the construction and development of Khanh Hoa Province to 2030 vision to 2045 defines the tasks of boosting the marine economy, focusing on aquaculture, exploitation of marine resources and seafood processing, especially environmentally friendly high-tech marine aquaculture and fishing logistics services.

A fisherman receives a gift.

In recent times, Khanh Hoa Province has promoted the application of science - technology, digital technology in fishing, aquaculture, and seafood processing; contributing to promoting joint efforts in raising fishermen's awareness against illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing as well as giving support for fishermen.

Accoridng  to Nguyen Tan Tuan, Deputy Secretary of Khanh Hoa Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People’s Committee, fishermen help protect the fishing grounds and contribute to the national prosperity. The program "Lighting up the sea with fishermen" is extremely meaningful with the practical gifts of both material support and spiritual encouragement for fishermen. Every one can contribute to protecting the seas and islands.

H.D

Translated by N.T