Sea Voyages Bringing “Tet Fortunes”

In the final days of the lunar year, many fishing boats from coastal communes and wards return to shore for Tet preparations, while large-capacity vessels remain at sea and smaller boats continue their daily nearshore trips to seek their “Tet fortunes.”

At Lien Huong Fishing Port, taking advantage of calm weather days, nearshore fishermen have landed good catches of parrotfish, which are sold at prices ranging from VND 60,000 to 150,000 per kilogram depending on the variety. Seafood traders say that on some days they can collect from dozens of kilograms to several hundred kilograms of fish for market supply.

Regarding offshore operations, Mr. Nguyen Thao—owner of the longline fishing vessel BTh 96935 TS—stated that each voyage lasts approximately two weeks, primarily within the Con Dao fishing grounds. Depending on weather conditions and fish stocks, yields can vary from a few hundred kilograms to several tons per trip. Beyond supporting their own families, boat owners also bear responsibility for their crew members; thus making the support of local authorities and relevant agencies an important source of encouragement for fishermen to sustain their offshore operations.

Fishing activities are also bustling in other coastal areas. In Phan Thiet Ward, the family of Mr. Nguyen Gat has three large fishing vessels still operating offshore during the days leading up to Tet, employing around 60 crew members. Like many others, they hope the final voyages of the year will bring good catches to ensure a more prosperous holiday for their families.

In the seafood trading sector, people like Ms. Nguyen Thi Ty in Binh Thuan Ward are busiest at this time of year. She collects fish from boats early each morning to resell at local markets. Although seafood prices rise ahead of Tet, strong demand helps increase her daily income, making it easier to cover expenses during the holiday season.