Over the past week, dozens of boats with engines under 90 horsepower have docked daily along the coast of Loc Ha and Co Dam communes (formerly part of Loc Ha and Nghi Xuan districts). Their holds are filled with large nets brimming with crabs. Fishermen, working in groups of three to four, carry the nets ashore, spread tarpaulins on the embankment near Dong Ken creek, and prepare buckets to sort the crabs. Many households also process their catch directly on the boats.

Fishermen focus on sorting crabs after each fishing trip. Photo: Duc Hung

Nguyen Van Trung, 52 years old, residing in Loc Ha commune, stated that in late October, boats were forced to stay ashore for many days due to heavy rain, floods, and rough seas. Since 8/11, with improved weather, fishermen have returned to sea en masse, fishing two to four nautical miles offshore and encountering large schools of crabs.

His boat, powered by over 40 horsepower and crewed by four laborers, mostly family members, departs at 2 a.m. and returns by 8 a.m., catching over 60 kg of crabs per trip. Sold at the shore for 180,000-200,000 VND per kg, each trip yields over 10 million VND. After deducting costs, the profit is over 5 million VND.

This catch volume is two to three times higher than on regular days, when they typically only achieve 20-25 kg. On some rough days, crabs are almost absent, and fishermen only catch a few kg of small fish, barely covering fuel costs.

Mr. Trung explained that crabs live at depths of 10-30 meters and move in schools. The fishing season extends from September to January of the following lunar year. When a school of crabs is spotted with lights, fishermen work together to cast nets hundreds of meters long and 10 meters wide, equipped with large buoys to encircle the catch. Each trip lasts approximately six hours. Crabs caught during this period have firm meat and abundant roe, making them highly sought after by customers.

Crabs are sold at the shore for 180,000-200,000 VND per kg. Photo: Duc Hung

In Co Dam commune, Nguyen Van Tai, 55 years old, noted that two typhoons in late September and October kept boats ashore for extended periods, causing financial hardship for local households. The continuous success in catching crabs for over a week signals a positive outlook for the year-end. On average, each boat catches 50-70 kg, with households having more laborers potentially harvesting over 100 kg of crabs per trip.

From early morning until noon, traders bring styrofoam coolers filled with ice to Dong Ken creek to purchase crabs. They then transport them to wholesale markets or sell them retail at markets in the areas formerly belonging to Loc Ha and Nghi Xuan. Dang Thi Lan, a trader, shared that she collects about 100 kg daily, sometimes reaching 200 kg on lucky days. Regular customers prefer fresh crabs, with many families ordering two to four kg for home delivery.

Crabs, also known as "vo", have fragrant, firm meat and rich roe, commanding high economic value. They are commonly prepared steamed, grilled, stir-fried with salt, or cooked in rice noodle soup. According to the Ha Tinh Coastal Fisheries Management Team No. 2, the dry, calm weather over the past week has led to a dense appearance of crabs. With favorable market demand, almost every boat returning to shore has a good income, averaging 8-10 million VND, with many cases seeing double that profit.

Duc Hung