Phung Dinh Toan, deputy director of Quang Ngai Province’s Fisheries Sub-Department, said last week that a representative of Solomon Islands' Registry Department had inspected nine local fishing boats recently. The boats included six from Quang Ngai Province, two from Bac Lieu Province and one from HCM City.

Quang Ngai Province had the highest number because it has a large fleet with many local fishermen who have years of experience, Toan said.

Vo Minh Hung, Director-General of Hoang Kim Viet Import and Export Investment Company, said that the company had obtained a business license from the governments of Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands in the South Pacific, and that it established subsidiaries operating in water exploitation and processing aquatic production there.

After the Solomon Islands' department confirmed that Vietnamese fishing boats were qualified to operate in their country, the Hoang Kim Viet Company will help the fishermen get a visa, according to Hung.

Each ship has about 15-17 fishermen who will work in the area for two years. The company expects that by the end of this year all procedures will be completed, Hung added.

The new licenses are expected to open a new direction for the Vietnamese fisheries industry and benefit domestic businesses and fishermen amid depleting fish stocks locally.

Vo Van Luu, a fisherman from Quang Ngai Province, whose boat was selected to go to Solomon Islands, noted that aquatic resources were diminishing locally.

“When I heard about fishing abroad, I registered immediately. Five shipowners and I aimed to meet the criteria to go abroad for fishing, which will bring higher efficiency," Luu said.

Nearly 12,000 Vietnamese laborers work in foreign fishing vessels

Nearly 12,000 Vietnamese guest workers have been serving in foreign fishing vessels, according to the Overseas Labor Management Department.

First fish-sauce museum a hit with tourists

For Tran Ngoc Dung, the traditional fish sauce of VIetnam has not received the respect it deserves.

VNS