VietNamNet Bridge – Fishing nets and fish cages along rivers and canals in the Cuu Long (Mekong) delta have caused waterway accidents, said deputy director of the Southern Inland Waterway Administration Dong Huu Phong.

Accidents were reported from time to time but a few cases had been quite serious, Phong said.

In March this year, a woman was killed when her canoe became tangled in fishing nets on Cha Va River.

Also in southernmost Ca Mau Province, a vessel was capsized when caught in a net on Cai Xu River, killing the boat owner immediately in September 2008.

Earlier in 2005, a vessel capsized on Mang Thit Canal in Vinh Long Province, also because of fishing net, creating more than VND1 billion (US$50,000) in damage.

There are currently about 3,000 fishing nets and fish cages along 28,500km of canals and rivers in southern Viet Nam, according to the Southern Inland Waterway Administration.

Phong said while most of the fishing nets and cages were located in rivers and canals improperly, no action had ever been taken to remedy the situation.

Poor information dissemination, management, lack of safety awareness and shortage of funds had hindered local authority efforts to support fishermen to change jobs, Phong said.

"Fishing is the only means of incomes for local people here, and they are all very poor so we just can't fine them," he added.

Next year the Southern Inland Waterways Administration will join hands with the Viet Nam Bank for Social Policy to organise vocational training courses for local fishermen.

At least 15 training courses on seafood processing and production will be held in each southern province for around 400 local fish-raising farmers.

The administration will work with major seafood processing companies such as Minh Hai, Phu Cuong and Ca Mau in Ca Mau Province and Cuu Long and Tri Hai companies in Vinh Long Province to create jobs for local fishermen.

Elderly fishermen would receive support to train in making terracotta, mats and chopping boards, said Phong.

"Once finished, they'll be encouraged to borrow capital from the bank to switch to more appropriate jobs," Phong said.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News