Following a group of fishermen in Quang Ngai in a summer day to the sea, i had the chance of seeing fishermen fishing by mesh on the sea directly. I have always wanted to know how fishermen work and live and in this post, I would like to share with you the way to fish by mesh of fishermen on the coastal in Quang Nam, Vietnam. Cruise on mekong river
The working tools of fishermen in Quang Ngai
Travelling to Quang Ngai in a sunny day in summer, My Khe beach is sparkling under the sun shine, immersing yourself into fresh water, going around some street and enjoying Quang noodle (Mỳ Quảng) and then following fishermen in Duc Minh commune, Mo Duc district to the sea to have the chance of seeing the fishing schedule there. This journey make us understand that in fact, the fishermen’s lives in the coast of Vietnam are so hard; they even have to face to dangers when going fishing on the sea especially when having storms upcoming.
The main working tools of fishermen in Quang Ngai typically include boat, paddle (only for small boats that don’t have mechanic to control) and mesh. Boats are typically made from wooden, aluminum or steel. The size of the boat is not followed any general standard. Small boats are usually equipped paddles. Fishermen can control these paddles to lead the boat to the position they fish on the sea. On big boats (usually steel boats or aluminum boats), there have control unit, fishermen don’t have to sail by hands, they can save man power and time on fishing. Small boats are just used for fishing near the coastal with small fish and fishermen don’t have to sleep on the sea. Fishermen use big boats can catch bigger fish form the sea; however, they usually have to be floating many days on the sea to fishing. It is also dangerous especially when there has a storm on the sea.
We will see how fishermen in Quang Ngai fishing with mesh on the small boat
Each of mesh is divided into 3 parts: the body, the wings and the bag of the mesh. The length of mesh depends on the position of fishing. In typical, the length of a mesh is from 1,000 meters to 3,000 meters. There have so many small mesh eyes as the head of chopsticks. Fishermen usually fish in the sea with the distance about hundreds meters and use human’s power so fishermen have to gather into a group from 6 to 10 people.
One end of the mesh is kept on the coast and the other end will be brought to the sea and made into a circle. Then, all people of the group will equally divide into 2 groups and everyone pulls the mesh to the shore. If you join in fishing with fishermen, you will see that the schedule of fishing is quite simple but it is really hard. adventure Indochina travel
In every early morning, after finishing fishing schedule, fishermen start to divide fish and then they distribute for many different sea food markets. Some people process fish, some other people water for fish, and some women carry fish from boat to the shore while some other people upload fish to the trucks to provide for markets. Living atmosphere there is like a fast-forward films about life, is the non-stop movements. When we stand in front of the sea, we will that we are so little compare with nature and hard-working fishermen.
When is the best time to fish in the sea?
“The best time for fishing of fishermen in Quang Nam is from February to July in lunar calendar. In fishing season, fishermen can be certainly that where have many fish and where have fewer fish to go fishing depends on high or low tidal way. Fishermen in Quang Nam can go fishing in the morning, afternoon or evening. However, the morning is the best time for fishing because the water is cool and calm at that time; fish concentrate nearby the shore so fishermen can catch much fish.”- a fisherman in Duc Minh commune, Mo Duc district in Quang Ngai who has more than 20 years experience of fishing said.
As many other kinds of fishing, fishing by mesh depends on many factors like the weather or experiences of each fishermen group. The income of each fisherman is just from 150,000vnd to 300,000vnd per day. It means they have to work hard everyday if they would like to have money to pay for living conditions. They are so hard; however, they are so out-going and helpful. You will see the bright on their austere faces after a long-working-day on the sea.
Quang Ngai is a poor province of Vietnam. Most of people in Quang Ngai earn money base on fishing on the sea. Fishing by mesh, floating on the boat on the sea, hardly transport fish to the markets… I respect and admire the wills and working spirit of fishermen in Quang Ngai particular and in Vietnam coastal province in general. I miss a poem of a poet named Te Hanh, there have these sentences:
“Làng tôi ở vốn làm nghề chài lưới
Nước bao vây, cách biển nửa ngày sông”
(That means: My village is a fishing village
It is surrounded by water, it is a floating island)
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