On the morning of the 10th day of the Lunar New Year, the first fishing vessels that spent Tết at sea off the coast of Khanh Hoa Province returned to port, bringing home abundant catches of ocean tuna and renewed determination to help remove the EU’s “yellow card”.
On February 26 (the 10th day of the Lunar New Year), the atmosphere at Hon Ro Fishing Port in Nam Nha Trang Ward, Khanh Hoa Province, became lively as the first tuna longliners arrived after their offshore trips during the Tet 2026 holiday.
At the wharf, port authorities and border guard forces coordinated vessel docking, supervised the unloading of catches and checked documentation related to seafood traceability.
Strong start to the fishing season
This year, 68 fishing vessels from Khanh Hoa stayed at sea during the holiday to catch tuna in the Trường Sa fishing grounds and surrounding offshore platforms.
Ahead of the voyages, the provincial Department of Agriculture and Environment, in coordination with the provincial Labour Federation, held a ceremony at Hòn Rớ Port to launch the first fishing trips of the year. The event was intended to encourage fishermen to head offshore and boost economic activity while reinforcing efforts to eliminate illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
Encouraged by these initiatives, many vessels returned with promising catches. According to port records, the first boats to dock each reported catches of more than three tonnes of tuna.
Fisherman Tran Hoang, owner of vessel KH 96255 TS from Nam Nha Trang Ward, expressed his excitement upon returning to shore. During the Tết voyage, his boat caught 84 tuna with a total estimated weight of more than three tonnes.
“This year the weather was favourable and tuna schools were abundant, so the crew was very motivated,” Hoang said. “Although we had to celebrate Tet at sea, far from our families, seeing the hold full of fish made it all worthwhile. After deducting about VND 120 million (USD 4,700) in fuel and supplies, each crew member can earn around VND 25-30 million. That’s a very good start to the new year.”
However, Hoong noted that fishermen also hope tuna prices will stabilise. Currently, ocean tuna sells for around VND 110,000-112,000 per kilogramme. According to fishermen, prices above VND 120,000 per kilogramme would provide more sustainable profits for vessel owners and crews, especially as fuel costs remain high.
Captain Nguyen Van Hien, skipper of vessel KH 92278 TS, also from Nam Nha Trang Ward, shared similar optimism. His vessel landed 70 tuna, each weighing between 40 and 55 kilogrammes.
“Tuna appeared more frequently and evenly than in previous years,” Hien said. “Most boats around us made good catches. None returned empty-handed. That’s a very encouraging signal for the 2026 fishing season.”
Determination to remove the EU ‘yellow card’
Alongside the excitement over strong catches, authorities have tightened supervision of compliance with regulations aimed at combating illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
Nguyen Van Ba, head of the Hon Ro Fishing Port Management Board, said that while catches were encouraging, strict monitoring remained in place.
“We facilitate the unloading of catches while working closely with the Nha Trang Border Guard Station to inspect vessel monitoring systems, fishing logbooks and verify actual catches,” Ba said. “Most fishermen operating at Hon Ro Port now comply well with reporting requirements when entering and leaving the port.”
Compliance with fisheries regulations is increasingly seen by Khanh Hoa’s fishing community as essential for improving the value of seafood exports and ultimately securing the removal of the European Commission’s “yellow card”.
Vessel owners have committed to keeping vessel monitoring systems operating around the clock and avoiding encroachment into foreign waters, recognising that transparent and responsible fishing is key to ensuring the long-term sustainability of the industry.
More offshore vessels are expected to arrive at the port in the coming days. The Hon Ro Port management board has prepared additional staff to help fishermen complete procedures quickly and ensure smooth sales of their catches.
VFM
