Clinging to traditional fishing grounds

Offshore fishing trips to traditional grounds such as the Spratly and Paracel Islands and DK1 have helped fishermen not only get wealth from the sea but also contribute to confirming the national sea and island sovereignty.

 

Clinging to traditional off-shore fishing grounds 

 

Huynh Van Ky, the owner of the ship KH 93817TS in Hon Ro, Nha Trang City says 80% of the off-shore fishing ships on their first trip of the lunar year 2019 are great success, earning a profit of at least VND20-30 million/ ship. Especially, his 5 ships got a bumper catch of fish, 40-50 tuna each. He got a profit of over 100 million dongs/ ship. He hopes the next fishing trips continue to get a good haul.

 

An experienced fisherman named Vo Ngoc Tung, presently a commissioner of Phuoc Dong Fisheries Trade Union, in Hon Ro says in recent years, thanks to favorable sea conditions together with support policies of the State, his family decided to get a loan to build ships. Now, he has 2 fishing ships. His fishing trips in 2018 and the first 2 trips in 2019 got high yield with an average capacity of 15-20 tons/ ship. Most of the fishing ships in Phuoc Dong Fisheries Trade Union are doing good business, getting high profit from off-shore fishing.

 

 

 

In recent years, Khanh Hoa has focused on developing modern off-shore fishing ships with a high capacity. At present, there are more than 1,300 high-capacity vessels involved in off-shore fishing grounds. The fishing grounds of Khanh Hoa are mainly from the Spratly and Paracel Islands, DK1 to the maritime boundaries, according to Nguyen Trong Chanh, Chief of the Fisheries Branch.

 

Reportedly, thanks to the support policies of the State, Khanh Hoa Province will continue modernizing off-shore fishing facilities. To give more support to fishermen, the fisheries sector will strengthen 9 Fisheries Trade Unions and 167 fishing collective groups; build more tuna consumption chains, thus improving fishing quality as well as promoting the link between fishermen and businesses in off-shore fishing trips.

 

Contributing to confirming maritime sovereignty

 

Khanh Hoa fishermen are present in all their off-shore fishing grounds, contributing to joining effort with the border guard and naval forces to protect the national maritime sovereignty. According to fishermen, their fishing trips have received much assistance from border guards and directly Hon Ro Border Checkpoint (Nha Trang Port Border Station). Fisherman Vo Ngoc Tung says, “Border guards have given us support, provided fishing regulations and informed of the ban on illegal fishing and violation of foreign territorial waters. Together with the Fisheries Branch, border staff have also made propaganda to all fishing vessels inside and outside the province. Border staff are the first we call and rely on for urgent help and rescue. Hon Ro Border Check Station have also provided much support related to verification, port entry and exit procedures. The support from border guards means a lot to fishermen.”

 

Hon Ro Border Guard Station is managing more than 400 fishing facilities, including over 200 offshore fishing vessels in Hon Ro. The station and the Hon Ro fishermen have had close relationship. All unusual incidents found have been reported by fishermen to the station for better management and protection of the national maritime boundary sovereignty, reports Major Ngo Ngoc Son, an officer at Hon Ro Border Guard Station.

 

“I find that fishing vessels flying the national flags can be seen as the mark of maritime boundaries. Khanh Hoa fishermen present in the waters of the Spratly and Paracel Islands and the southern continental shelf will join effort with the border guards and naval force to protect the national maritime sovereignty,” says Senior Lieutenant-Colonel, Chief of Khanh Hoa Border Defense Headquarters.

 

Bich La

Translated by N.T