Fishermen in the central Vietnamese city of Da Nang have returned to sea in the early days of the Lunar New Year, hoping for calm waters, strong catches and stable prices, while local authorities step up policies aimed at supporting livelihoods and promoting sustainable fisheries.
Fishermen head back to sea
Shortly after the holiday, dozens of fishing vessels set out from Da Nang’s ports as coastal waters entered the peak anchovy season. Several boats operating near shore have reported strong catches.
The vessel QNa-01461, owned by fisherman Nguyen Vinh Phat from Tam Xuan commune, landed more than 20 metric tons of anchovies after three trips, generating revenue of over 200 million dong (USD 8,000) and profits of about 170 million dong.
Another vessel, QNa-90055 operated by Le Phu Thanh, harvested around 15 tons of anchovies, earning more than 150 million dong.
Farther offshore, larger boats have also begun longer voyages. On the sixth day of the Lunar New Year, fisherman Tran Co and a crew of 10 departed aboard the 380-horsepower vessel QNa-91963 for fishing grounds near the Paracel Islands. The boat uses light-luring nets targeting squid species including cuttlefish and squid.
According to Co, the squid fishery performed well last year, with both high catches and strong market prices. At times squid prices exceeded 300,000 dong per kilogram, providing strong returns for fishing crews.
Managers at the Tho Quang fishing port said many vessels completed departure procedures as early as the fourth day of the holiday, with more offshore boats leaving in the following days. Authorities said fishermen are also complying with regulations designed to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
Policies to support fishermen
Rising fuel and supply costs have increased the financial pressure on fishing operations. In response, the Da Nang government has rolled out a range of support measures aimed at helping fishermen maintain offshore activities.
In 2025, the city provided more than 2.2 billion dong in support for 164 fishing vessels. The assistance included covering 40% of hull insurance costs for 128 vessels and fully funding the installation of vessel monitoring systems and first-year service fees for 35 boats.
Local authorities have also supported fishermen in upgrading equipment used for fishing and seafood preservation.
Toward sustainable fisheries
Da Nang’s People’s Council recently adopted a resolution on fisheries development support for the 2026-2030 period. The policy includes financial assistance for dismantling fishing vessels that no longer meet operational standards and subsidies of up to 50 million dong per vessel for fishermen who convert from bottom trawling to more environmentally friendly fishing methods.
The city’s Department of Agriculture and Environment said the policies are intended to help shift local fisheries toward more sustainable practices while protecting marine resources.
Authorities are also conducting assessments of coastal fish stocks, strengthening vessel monitoring systems and tightening controls on seafood landings at ports to verify catch origins.
The measures form part of broader national efforts to address illegal fishing and help Vietnam lift the European Commission’s “yellow card” warning on seafood exports.
VFM
