Bac Lieu’s marine catch falls sharply, squeezing local fishers
Seafood landings in Vietnam’s Bac Lieu Province dropped nearly 50% below annual targets in the first half of 2025, tightening margins for local fishing fleets already struggling with rising costs and declining stocks.
A sharp decline in seafood catches has left many fishing vessels in Ganh Hao estuary, Dong Hai District, Bac Lieu Province, facing mounting difficulties.
Quach Thanh Phong’s fishing boat recently docked at Ganh Hao Port after a month-long offshore trip. Speaking about the haul, Phong said that in previous years, even after expenses, he would typically earn anywhere from tens of millions to 100 million dong per trip during the season. This year, however, local fishermen have seen poor returns, some even incurring losses.
“Since the start of the year, each offshore trip my boat has only been able to catch low-value species like threadfin bream, croaker, and various small fish. After selling at port, we lost money. This trip cost over 500 million dong, but we only earned around 450 million. We also have to pay labor in advance, mostly by borrowing. After this trip, my boat will just stay docked, it’s not worth going out again,” Phong said.
Most fishermen in Ganh Hao town – home to Bac Lieu’s largest fishing fleet, are in a similar situation. Input costs have surged across the board, from fuel to essential supplies for each voyage, adding 30-50 million dong to the cost of a typical 30-day trip. Unfavorable weather has also affected fishing quality, with catches trending lower than in previous years.
Le Thanh Dam, Director of Bac Lieu Province’s Fishing Port and Storm Shelter Management Board, said local fishermen have faced significant challenges this year as key fishing grounds have declined and catches have become less productive. “From the start of the year to now, there have been 2,074 port calls, with more than 23,650 tonnes of seafood passing through the port. The proportion of active fishing vessels is only around 90%,” Dam said.
In the first half of 2025, Bac Lieu’s seafood catch totaled more than 62,360 tonnes – 51.97% of the annual target and roughly 99% of last year’s figure for the same period. The difficulties in the province’s fishing industry have persisted for years. To ensure the long-term stability of offshore fishing, authorities will need to step up support, particularly in financing vessel repairs, upgrades, and trip expenses.
Bac Lieu once had a fleet of more than 1,000 fishing boats, but according to recent data from the provincial agriculture and environment department, the number has fallen to just 840. Of these, 414 vessels are 15 meters or longer. Many boats have remained idle for extended periods due to poor fishing returns and a lack of capital for reinvestment.
VFM
