Some fishermen in central Vietnam have invested massive sums to build larger and stronger vessels that can take them to more distant fisheries and protect them from ocean disasters.

But such modernization is still just a dream for many other fishermen, most of whom are needy people who still have to take risks for their catches with old wooden boats.Higher incomes Nguyen Minh Vuong, 35, from Binh Dinh Province, possesses one of the most powerful fishing boats in the region, with a 900-CV capacity and 50 ton storage. His boat arrived at Hon Ro fishing port in Nha Trang on July 17, and departed for another trip two days later since “it is the harvest time now,” says Vuong. “I also have to hurry as Chinese boats may encroach on the fishery if we come late,” he adds. Vuong managed to catch 28 tons of ocean tuna during his latest 20-day fishing trip, which yielded a whopping profit for the fisherman. “After excluding expenses, I enjoy a profit of VND800 million (US$38,400),” he says. “I have regularly reaped such a windfall since switching to the larger boat.” The seasoned fisherman used to sail a small wooden boat when he was just 17 years old, as part of a family tradition set by his father, Nguyen Van Ai, whose five sons each own a fishing boat. Vuong had to sail back to the mainland whenever the sea got rough, he recalls. “It was a waste of time, effort, and money, while the catches yielded poor values,” he says. Understandably, the smaller the boat, the tougher it is for fishermen to earn their catches, says Ai, adding that this is also the reason for him to put all of his fortunes into building a bigger ship. And the investment has proven effective, says Vuong, the young captain. “The large boat sails faster and further, which helps save time and expense. The time for taking a round trip is also reduced, helping to increase the quality of the preserved seafood,” he elaborates. Vuong says his family usually earns double the catches compared with other fishermen, thanks to the powerful boats worth more than VND8 billion.Largest boat It is now only a fortnight before the 1,100-CV fishing boat of Nguyen Van Thuan, a 34-year-old fisherman in Khanh Hoa Province, reaches completion. The vessel will be the largest in the province, as out of the 1,000 fishing boat in the locality there are only 30 that have capacity ranging from 400 to 650 CV, according to Nguyen Khac En, an official from the province’s aquaculture agency. The remaining boats have a capacity of only 90 – 300 CV. “Being able to captain a large boat and go fishing in distant waters is the dream of not only me but every fisherman,” the boat owner says. Thuan says he will use the VND4.5 billion boat to hunt for ocean tuna in the Truong Sa waters and the southern seas. Though he is anticipating a larger catch, the young captain also expresses his concerns over the government assistance towards fishermen. “I was only allowed to borrow bank loan worth VND400 million at 15 percent a year, which is already enough to challenge me with debts,” he says. “The government should provide better help to increase the number of large, modern fishing boats in the country,” he urges.