February 26, 2007

Fishermen pick off baby lobsters off Vietnam central coast

Vietnamese fishermen working off the coast of Quang Nam province in central Vietnam struck it rich this week when they caught a large number of young lobsters which they have sold to farmers as breeding stock.

According to Thanh Nien news daily, one of over 600 boats fishing in the region had caught an average 10 lobsters worth VND100,000 daily, since the onset of Tet Festival or the Lunar New Year in February 17.

Some have earned as much as VND3 million (US$186.61) a day The lobsters are said to be attracted to brightness which prompted many fishermen to turn on their lights at night to lure the creatures on the surface.

Some just dive in and catch them by hand.

The lobsters used to be the size of the thin end of a chopstick but grow to weigh over a kilogramme.

Meanwhile, fishermen from the provinces of Phu Yen and Khanh Hoa have hauled in large quantities of tuna few days after the onset of the Tet Festival.
 
Boats returning ashore for the first time this Lunar New Year Friday brought over 200,000 kilogramme of the fish which fetches VND73,000 (US$.0.62) to VND120,000 (US$7.50) per kilogramme.