Going to the Saigon River flowing through this place in Binh Phuoc, I saw people pulling nets and rafts to catch all the delicious fish.

People who pull rafts to catch fish and shrimp on the Saigon River flowing through Tan Hiep Commune, Hon Quan District (Binh Phuoc Province) are very happy, because during the rainy season, the river water circulates, fish and shrimp breed, bringing them a good income every day.

From Tan Hiep Commune People's Committee, we traveled a winding road through rubber forests of businesses and people by motorbike to reach Hamlet 9.

Families who make a living by pulling nets and rafts build houses along the banks of the Saigon River, far from residential areas. During the rainy season, the water rises, making the riverbed even wider.

Standing on the shore looking out into the distance, the fishermen's motorboats running in the middle of the river look very small, but the sound of the engines is loud, echoing throughout the area.

Hearing the call of Ms. Luong Thi Ngoc, Vice President of Tan Hiep Commune Farmers' Association, Mr. Pham Dinh Quynh quickly rowed a small boat from the fish cage next to the raft to the shore.

After shaking hands and greeting everyone, he excitedly chatted: “Since last night, the river water has been rising, my wife and I have been taking turns operating the generator to pull the net continuously. This morning, I caught more than 100 kg of fish, and have just transported them to Tay Ninh province to sell to traders.”

According to Mr. Quynh, in the Saigon River, during the rainy season, there are mainly linh fish, white fish, catfish and tra fish. Catfish are about 4-5 fish/kg; tra fish are bigger, sometimes the family can catch fish weighing tens of kilograms.

For a long time, the prices of fish have been relatively stable. Specifically, tra fish is 40 thousand VND/kg, catfish is 100 thousand VND/kg, and linh fish is 120 thousand VND/kg.

Every day, the Saigon River brings a stable source of income to households living on rafting in Tan Hiep commune, Hon Quan district (Binh Phuoc province).

“It rains a lot at this time, the river water is high, and the fish source is also abundant. My family has 4 rafts, and on average we earn 1-2 million VND per day. If we catch a lot of fish, we can earn 3-4 million VND,” said Mr. Quynh.

Leading us into the house, Mr. Quynh introduced the electric machine used to pull the net: "In the past, to pull the net, we had to use a pulley, pulling by hand was very hard.

Now, pulling the net is easier because you just need to turn on the electric switch and the machine will run, and the wire will roll as it rotates, so it is very fast. The nets are pulled continuously, about every 10 minutes, so the tuna yield will increase.

Neighbors of Mr. Quynh's family, Mr. Nguyen Van Hai's family from Dong Thap province moved to Tan Hiep to work as a raft puller for over 20 years. His family has 5 rafts, also operated by electric motors.

Mr. Hai said: The initial investment for a raft is about 50 million VND. Although it is capital-intensive, it can be used for many years.

From the cable to the frame, the net is less damaged. In case of an accident due to wind or rain or boat collision that damages the net or the net, households will unite and help each other. During this time of year when it rains a lot, people often catch big fish.

“Every time I catch a big fish, I row my boat out to empty the basket and bring it to shore. When I have enough fish, I will sell them to traders in Tay Ninh province. If there are not enough fish, I will put them in tanks or in net bags in the river. Every time I bring fish to sell, I feel very happy, because it is the result of my labor,” Mr. Hai shared.

Ms. Luong Thi Ngoc, Vice President of the Farmers' Association of Tan Hiep Commune, Hon Quang District, Binh Phuoc Province said: Currently, the whole commune has about 20 households living by rafting on the Saigon River.

To ensure that households work and exploit safely and legally, the Farmers' Association coordinates with hamlet officials to propagate that people exploiting and fishing must comply with legal regulations.

Strictly prohibit acts that destroy aquatic resources, aquatic ecosystems, and concentrated breeding areas such as: Do not use small mesh nets, electric shock fishing, do not exploit young aquatic areas; do not illegally obstruct the natural migration routes of fish, shrimp, etc.

The Farmers' Association is advising the Party Committee, the Commune People's Committee and relevant agencies to establish a professional group for fishing on the Saigon River. On that basis, there will be policies to support people with necessary tools and means to ensure safe work.

Mr. Pham Dinh Quynh, Hamlet 9, Tan Hiep Commune, Hon Quan District, Quang Ngai Province: The raft fishing profession is basically favorable, with stable income.

However, the difficulty is that most households here have to use expensive grid electricity. Some households have to use generators to pull the net, which is costly and noisy, affecting the environment.

Apart from the income from net fishing, most households have no other income. Therefore, we hope that the government and the electricity sector will pay attention and have appropriate support policies. At the same time, there will be a direction to support capital for further development, such as investing in fish cages and rafts, building entertainment spots, check-in, outdoor tourism, and river experiences. This is a promising direction.

Source: https://danviet.vn/ra-dong-song-sai-gon-chay-qua-noi-nay-cua-binh-phuoc-thay-dan-keo-vo-be-bat-toan-ca-ngon-20240713002823957.htm