Every day, hundreds of workers in the poor rural areas of Binh Dinh get up at 2am to go to the harbor to buy fresh fish and squid and take them to the steaming facilities in Hai Cang Ward of Quy Nhon City for semi-procession.

They put fresh anchovy fish into bamboo baskets and place them into the steaming pans. Depending on the type of fish, they steam the whole fish or cut them into slices.

Dozens of fish-steaming pans are placed close together, and they work all day, pushing the temperature around up to over 60 degrees Celsius.

Having worked for over 10 years at a fish steaming workshop, Mrs. Co said everyday, whenever she returned home, she felt that her body lacked water.

According to the Management Board of the Harbor Fish Market, fish steamming facilities were established in 1968.

About 200 people, mostly poor workers, work there.

This man, 58 years old, carries three ships of fish to fish steaming workshops a day to earn about VND150,000 ($7).

Steamed squids taken out of the pans of over 100 degrees Celsius.

Steamed fish are put into bamboo trays, covered with plastic pieces.

On average, over 10 tons of fish are steamed per day.