In recent days, fishermen in the Thach Van coastal area (Ha Tinh city) have been excited because after each trip out to sea, they return with their boat's hold full of herring.

From 7am, at Dong Van village beach (Thach Van commune), dozens of small-capacity boats crowded to shore, their holds filled with fish. Fishermen stood in rows, shaking their nets to remove fish and sell them to dealers.

After more than ten years of fishing at sea, Mr. Pham Viet Man (born in 1965, residing in Thach Van commune) commented that this year the weather was quite favorable, so the amount of fish caught after each offshore trip was greater than previous years.

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The herring fishing season in Ha Tinh usually starts after Tet and lasts until around April.
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Fishermen happily remove fish from nets to sell to traders.

Every day at 3am, two members of Mr. Man's family use a small boat to go fishing about 7 nautical miles from the mainland. At around 7am, the boat returns to the mainland.

"When we go out to sea, we have to use a fish finder. In areas with a lot of fish, we will spread nets to catch them. Every day, we catch about 700-800 kg of fish, up to 1 ton on a good day. After that, we will sell it to the wholesalers to freeze.

The fish is sold wholesale at 10,000 VND/kg. After deducting expenses, my family makes a profit of 4 million VND per day," said Mr. Man.

Similarly, each trip out to sea, the family of Mrs. Nguyen Thi Tu (residing in Thach Van commune) also catches about 600 kg of fish.

"March is a favorable time for fishermen to catch herring. Every day my family catches about 600 kg, earning about 3 million VND after deducting expenses," Ms. Tu shared.

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Herring is purchased by traders after being brought ashore, wholesale price is 10,000 VND/kg.

Speaking with VietNamNet reporter, Mr. Duong Van Thai, Chairman of Thach Van Commune People's Committee, said that in the commune there are about 50 small capacity boats of fishermen fishing near shore.

"Each boat carries two workers to the sea. This season, fishermen in Dong Van village catch a lot of herring, bringing in high income," said Mr. Thai.

According to the Ha Tinh Fisheries Department, the province currently has over 2,000 trawlers fishing inshore, mainly pelagic fish, concentrated in the communes of Thach Tri, Thach Lac, Thach Van (Ha Tinh city), Xuan Yen, Xuan Lien, Cuong Gian (Nghi Xuan), Ky Phong, Ky Phu (Ky Anh district)...

Since the beginning of March, pelagic fish resources have appeared relatively abundantly, such as herring, anchovies, silver pomfret, yellowstripe scad, and sea shrimp.

"Fishermen are excited about the peak season for herring fishing, with each boat catching from 300kg to 1 ton per trip. Fish are sold at relatively stable prices," said a representative of the Ha Tinh Fisheries Department.