After the Lunar New Year holiday, fishermen in the coastal area of Bac Lieu had a bumper baby shrimp crop. The high output of baby shrimp, as well as a good price, have made everyone excited.
Every day, at the major seaports of the province, boats keep following each other in and out to catch baby shrimp, contributing to a large source of income and providing jobs for local people.
Many fishermen said that in recent years, baby shrimp is abundant in the coastal area of Bac Lieu province so fishermen have promoted the exploitation, leading to an increase in income. On average, a small boat can catch about 300-400 kg/day. The purchase price ranges from 12,000-15,000 VND per kg for fresh baby shrimp and from 48,000-50,000 VND per kilo for dried baby shrimp. Each boat can earn from seven to ten million VND a day.
Each year, fishermen in Bac Lieu have two seasons of baby shrimp, each season lasts about three months. The price and consumption of baby shrimp are stable so fishermen in the coastal area of Bac Lieu have a steady source of income.
(Fishermen harvest and store fresh baby shrimp in basket)
Mr. Nguyen Tan Ba in Nha Mat Ward (Bac Lieu City) said that, with the current output and prices, the owners of boats exploiting baby shrimp have a stable income. Compared to many years ago, the output of baby shrimp recently has increased. The size of baby shrimp is bigger and the quality has also risen. Therefore, the selling price is up, leading to an increase in income.
Mr. Thach Mol, a householder in Nha Mat Ward (Bac Lieu City), said that every year his family has a stable job and income thanks to baby shrimp season. All five members of his family have their jobs. His wife and daughter helping dry baby shrimp can make about 400,000 VND a day. Meanwhile, the father and two sons carry the baby shrimp from boats to the shore, earning an income of over a million VND every day. A season lasts a few months, so the income of his family is always guaranteed despite the tiredness.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Be Hai, a fisherman at Cai Cung seaport (Hoa Binh district), shared that the weather is favorable so the baby shrimp is abundant. This year, they had a bumper season, the selling price is higher. Most of the baby shrimp are dried for sale since the price is better and much easier to consume than fresh ones. The better season of baby shrimp, the more excited fishermen get.
According to many fishermen, besides the advantages, the current difficulty is room to dry baby shrimp. There are no worries in the sunny season but in the rainy season, it takes a few hours to dry baby shrimp. Especially, in the rainy season, the output of baby shrimp is quite high, causing a shortage of room to dry baby shrimp. When a lot of boats arrive at the port at the same time and it rains, fishermen have to “wait”.
(Baby Shrimp is the gift from god for fishermen)
Bac Lieu province has three main seaports including Nha Mat (Bac Lieu City), Ganh Hao (Dong Hai district), and Cai Cung (Hoa Binh district), with a fishery of over 20,000 km2 and more than 1,200 means of exploitation and fishing at sea. Particularly, regarding means of fishing, there are more than 100 boats, providing jobs for many local workers.
Bac Lieu is considered one of the leading provinces in the Mekong Delta region in terms of baby shrimp export, so the export price here is often higher than in other provinces. In recent years, the relevant sectors of Bac Lieu province have focused on improving the marine environment, promoting the association of products, expanding the consumption market both at home and abroad. As a result, the natural source of baby shrimp has been increased. Besides, stable prices and guaranteed output have been contributing to helping fishermen in Bac Lieu stabilize their life.