VietNamNet Bridge – Hundreds of fishing boats in the sea provinces of Da Nang, Quang Nam, Quang Ngai, Binh Dinh and Phu Yen have to stay ashore, because cuttlefish cannot be sold to Chinese merchants, who have unexpectedly disappeared.

What to do? Selling boats, shifting to other careers

Ho Van Doi, a fisherman in Thanh Khe district of Da Nang province, said his boat went out to the open sea only once so far this year and he has incurred the loss of 500 million dong.

The cuttlefish prices have dropped dramatically from 150,000 dong per kilo to 60,000 dong per kilo, while the input costs and fuel prices all have increased sharply.

“I sold 360 fishing nets for 300 million dong and then borrowed hundreds of millions of dong from relatives, hoping that cuttlefish would help me pay debts. However, I have incurred a big debt,” he complained.

Ho Van Tinh in Da Nang City also complained that he has suffered heavy loss after three times of going out to the open sea.

“We lost 100-200 million dong from every trip. A lot of fishermen in Da Nang are offering to sell fishing boats to pay debts,” Tinh said.

Tran Van Tam in Binh Dinh province also said he does not intend to go fishing cuttlefish at this moment. His boat has been staying at the Quy Nhon port after it returned from a fishing trip one month ago and brought the loss of 50 million dong.

“I am sure of taking loss, if I go fishing again. The fresh cuttlefish price has dropped from 22,000 dong to 9500 dong per kilo,” Tam said, adding that none of the boats in Hoai Huong commune, which has the highest number of fishing boats in Binh Dinh province, goes to the open sea these days.

However, fishermen cannot stay idle for a long time, because they need to do something to earn their living. Therefore, some boat owners have decided to buy more nets to shift to fishing near the seashore.

“I have to do something to live and keep working. I just dream of earning tens of millions of dong from every trip to the sea,” said Nguyen Cong Dien, a fisherman in Hoai Thanh commune.

Some other fishermen do not have enough money to buy fishing nets and tools; therefore, they just buy some fish hooks and take advantage of the existing lamp system to fish ocean tuna.

Dried cuttlefish heap up at homes

A lot of cuttlefish boats with the capacity of 400-800 CV were seen staying ashore at the An Hoa port in Tam Giang commune, Nui Thanh district of Quang Nam province on August 2.

Vo Van Viet, the owner of a cuttlefish boat, complained that the cuttlefish prices have never dropped so dramatically before.

Half a month ago, Viet felt excited when it caught 20 tons of cuttlefish, with which he hoped to earn 3 billion dong. However, since the cuttlefish price has plummeted, he could sell the cuttlefish for only one billion dong.

According to Nguyen Thanh Tran, Deputy Chair of Binh Chanh Commune, the sales of cuttlefish much depend on the consumption of the Chinese market.

“If Chinese merchants do not collect cuttlefish, the prices would drop dramatically. Dried cuttlefish now heap up at people’s houses,” he said.

Phan Huy Hoang, Deputy Director of the Quang Ngai provincial agriculture department said the cuttlefish consumption would less depend on the Chinese market, if Vietnam can process cuttlefish and export processed products. However, this remains unfulfilled task.

Thu Uyen