Lam Dong province switches entire fishing fleet to LED lighting

Fishermen report that a 25-meter vessel on a 20-day offshore trip burns about 7,000 liters of diesel with fluorescent lamps, compared with roughly 5,000 liters using LEDs. High-pressure lamps typically consume 120 liters of fuel per night, while LEDs use only 50 liters, a near 60% reduction.

Although the upfront cost is higher, LED systems last longer and attract fish more effectively. Fisherman Le Van Xuan said the lights can adjust beam angles to target both surface and deeper fish schools, improving catch volumes by about 34% compared to traditional lamps.

A pilot program carried out from 2021 to 2023 in Binh Thuan (now part of Lam Dong) by Rang Dong Light Source and Vacuum Flask JSC and the National Agricultural Extension Center showed that LED lighting directs 90% of illumination to the sea surface, compared with 25% for conventional lamps. The technology has since expanded, with more than 8,300 vessels in Lam Dong now using LED lights.

Rang Dong said its products are equipped with chips from brands such as Toshiba, Citizen and Samsung, and the company currently offers over 21 LED models for fishing and seafood processing.

Industry experts estimate that replacing 100 traditional 1,000W metal halide bulbs on a vessel with 300W LEDs could save 80,000-100,000 liters of fuel annually, worth VND 240-300 million (USD 9,400-11,700), while cutting hundreds of tons of CO₂ emissions. Nationwide replacement of one million bulbs could deliver substantial environmental and economic gains.

However, high initial investment costs and the vulnerability of vessel electrical systems remain obstacles. Experts have called for further research and government support to encourage fishermen to adopt energy-efficient lighting technologies and advance greener, more sustainable fisheries.

VFM