Hundreds of high-capacity fishing boats have recently been left idle at a port in Quang Nam Province, central Vietnam, as many local fishermen have ceased operations on account of ongoing financial losses in offshore fishing.

Fishermen in Tam Quang Commune, located in Nui Thanh District, report that they are ending their fishing seasons early because prolonged offshore fishing has only led to mounting losses.

Over the past few years, a significant decline in offshore fishing yields has created severe difficulties for fishermen along Vietnam's central coast, including in Quang Nam.

Many fishing trips are now returning with minimal or no catch, despite the high operational costs of each voyage, which can reach hundreds of millions of Vietnamese dong. (VND100 million = US$4,004)

Some fishermen are struggling to survive, while others have been forced to switch to near-shore fishing or find alternative employment.

Nguyen Phuong, a fisherman from Sam Linh Tay Village who owns five boats, including one with 420 horsepower, now operates only one vessel as a result of the financial strain.

Phuong, whose family has a long tradition of fishing, lamented that while he once earned VND50-70 million ($2,000-2,800) per offshore trip, recent endeavors have failed to turn a profit.

He revealed that he has only managed to break even this year.

The investment in fishing boats and equipment is substantial, with new vessels costing at least VND2 billion ($80,100) each and fishing gear adding another VND1 billion ($40,050).

Nguyen Thanh An, another local fisherman with a fleet of five high-capacity boats, faces similar challenges and operates only one boat for offshore fishing.

An expressed frustration over the significant losses and difficulty in finding crew members, as many have moved to other jobs.

Tam Quang is known for its large fishing fleet, with around 400 offshore fishing boats and a lot of near-shore vessels, according to Bui Thanh Tan, deputy chairman of the local administration.

The commune’s fishing industry is struggling as revenue from fishing trips no longer covers operational costs, leaving many boats idle.

This issue extends beyond Quang Nam, affecting Thang Binh District and Hoi An City, which collectively have approximately 2,700 offshore vessels with at least 385 horsepower each.

Despite various supportive policies from the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, the situation remains dire.

Nguyen Dinh Toan, deputy head of the Quang Nam Fisheries Sub-Department, attributed the problem to overfishing and the depletion of fish resources.

“The increasing gap between fishing capacity and the actual fish resources has led to a decline in catch volumes over time,” Toan said.

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