Illustrative image (Source: VNA)Hanoi (VNA) – Off-shore fishing has overrecent years become an economic spearhead in many localities. However, beyondthe bumper harvest, there left a hardship weariness that makes it hard forfishermen to do their job.
Nguyen Dinh Dong has returned from a20-day-plus offshore fishing trip and is repairing fishing equipment for hisnext voyage.
“It’s not like working onshore with stabletimetable. If the net is broken while fishing, we have to repair it no matterwhat it’s day or night,” said Dong, from Nghia An commune, Quang Ngai city,central Quang Nam province.
It is normal for the fishermen to work withouta break up to over 10 hours a day for months.
“It’s really hard, you know. A fishing shift starts from 5 pm to 6 am the nextmorning. You have to stand the whole 10 hours every day,” said Ho Si Nghia, afisherman from Binh Nam commune, Thang Binh district, Quang Nam province.
Harsh weather made it difficult for fishermen during their voyage. Many losttheir life under the stormy sky or without receiving timely treatment in caseof accident.
Truong Van Anh, from Man Thai ward, Son Tradistrict, Da Nang city, said “We are usually lack of medicine on the boat. Ifwe break our arm or leg, it takes the whole day, or fastest 10 hours, for anambulance ship to get to us.”
Over recent years, measures have beenimplemented to aid fishermen, including insurance and ship building support andtechnology apply in fishing at sea.
“We must see fishery as an exploiting industry,so that the government should pour more investment in modern fishing vesselsand technology, as well as fully train crew,” Tran Van Linh, Chairman of the fishing union of Da Nang city,said.
Beyond exploiting seafood, the fishermen are also making great contribution toprotecting the sacred sovereignty of seas and islands of the homeland.
More preferential treatments are needed to improve the fishermen’s workingconditions, ensuring their safety while sailing offshore.-VNA
VNA
