Along the coastal line of Vietnam, there are lots of families whose entire life is devoted to offshore exploitation. These families have fostered to become well-off, contributing to supporting the fishermen’s community, joining in the cause of protecting, asserting the sovereignty of the Nation’s sea and islands.
The vessel currently being newly built for the family of Mr. Nguyen Thanh Hiep
The Luong clan in Dong Tac village (Tuy Hoa city) is renowned for being entirely connected with the sea profession. At the age of 40, the twins Luong Cong Dong and Luong Cong Dong in the village are beloved by lots of local inhabitants; the twins are gifted at offshore exploitation. Currently, each of them possesses one vessel with capacity of 400CV, worth more than 2 billion dongs each; they both have immense houses with luxurious facilities.
In 2003, after saving up from the days working as employees, the twins Dong made loans from the uncles and aunts in the family to have the 90CV vessel built, worth 400 million dongs. They gained bumper crops, earned well, the twins re-invested in building larger vessels, stretching farther along the EastSea. Currently, the twins have become experienced men, directly working as the ship owners and captains catching oceanic tuna, being the economic reliance of the clan and families of more than ten fishermen families. Their two “rears” are no longer those wives “going to markets” but have turned into “calculating machines” to join hands with the husbands to care for expenditure for each offshore voyage, seeking for clues for consuming fish every time the vessels arrive at the dock…
The mutual help at sea is one thing as natural as the breath. Not only helping domestic fishermen, many times the twins have helped foreign fishermen at accidents. As Dong recalled, in 2006, his vessel numbered PY-91049 rescued 3 Filipino fishermen who were having accident at the region near Truong Sa island. Accepting to annul the voyage to fetch the victims ashore, he still felt happy, considering it the “morality of the sea profession, rescuing human is like building up a large pagoda”. From then up to now, every Tet occasion comes, Dong’s family receives phone calls wishing for safety, peace, bumper crops from those Filipino fishermen…
Captain Nguyen Thanh Hiep in the hold of the newly-built boat
After 50 years working in the sea profession, the elderly fisherman Phan Thuan (aged 70) has absolutely transferred the profession of monitoring vessels to his children; Mr. Phan Thuan now works as “sea cadre”, but ashore. He is entrusted the position of Head of Bach Dang quarter’s fishermen cum chairman of ward 6’s fishing profession’s organization (Tuy Hoa city). “All day I work with lots of tasks even with little income, just for having some cups of coffee, but I see life is so much meaningful. Now, I am still contributing finance with my off springs to do the exploiting profession. That is life, unable, never stop”, Mr. Thuan added.
Mr. Thuan and his wife have 5 children and sons as well as daughters in law all connected with the sea profession. From the profession of weaving nets, materials services for the sea profession to working as captains, all positions are participated by his family’s members. Captain Nguyen Thanh Hiep (Son-in-law of Mr. Thuan, vessel numbered PY-96572), let known, thanks to the clan’s support, the modern vessel 740CV of his and his wife has just been completed building. However, his family is setting projects to make loans for buying new machines, upgrading the vessel capacity, expanding fishing points.
According to Mr. Hiep, the profession of offshore exploitation needs firm rear to “be solid with rowing hands” offshore. This requires all family members to try every possible way to build up, for example the role of his father-in-law playing the key position. 20 years working in the profession, Captain Hiep is entrusted to get the position of Head of the Great Solidarity Team with 18 ship members majoring in exploiting oceanic tuna. According to Mr. Hiep, the majority of the team members are relatives of the clan. The operating motto is being hand by hand, closely coordinating once working at sea as well as in daily life.
“Previously when working alone, we were easily threatened by foreign vessels but now that there is the Great Solidarity Vessel Team, our fishing profession organization is confident when working in faraway fishing points, to, simultaneously protecting the Nation’s scared sea and islands”, Mr. Hiep stressed.
Source: Phu Yen NewspaperTranslated by HAI LOAN
Đăng ký: VietNam News