(VOVworld) – Ganh Hao township, Dong Hai district, Bac Lieu province, has a long coastline. Local people have turned poor coastal villages into a large commercial fishing port.

Ganh Hao fishing port in Dong Hai district. (Photo: Quang Hung)

In the past any mention of Ganh Hao town recalled a song by Vu Duc Sao Bien about a beautiful land with arenga and indigo forests stretching as far as the eye can see. But the song’s plaintive lyrics and melody, written in the form of southern traditional music, made listeners feel that the life of the people there was difficult.

Today visitors to Ganh Hao will recognize major changes. Ganh Hao has become a prosperous township where residents live in modern houses as people do in urban areas.

In addition to arenga and indigo forests there are shrimp ponds and Ganh Hao’s fishing port is busy day and night.

Hoang Van Ky remembers his first days in Ganh Hao “in 1972, there was an abundance of mangrove forests, fish, and shrimp. Though fishing equipment was very simple, we still could catch lots of fish and shrimp. As its fame grew, numerous people like me decided to move here.”

With a coastline of 23 km and two seaports, Ganh Hao has nearly 4,000 ha of coastal wetland and a vast sea area. 

In recent years, Ganh Hao has been concentrating resources to develop a sea-based economy and become a key economic hub in Bac Lieu province.

Ganh Hao’s offshore fishing teams. (Photo: Quang Hung)

Dong Hai district has developed infrastructure, built workshops for ship repair, set up logistic teams, and multiplied offshore fishing teams.

Mai Hoang Nen, deputy director of Ganh Hao’s fishing port, said that “the government and provincial administration plan to expand the port in the near future. Once the expansion is completed, more boats will come from other provinces and local aquaculture will grow.”

In addition to upgrading and expanding its fishing port, Ganh Hao is calling on enterprises to invest in salt production and shrimp breeding in the form of highly intensive farming in glasshouses.

Bui Minh Tuy, chairman of Dong Hai’s People’s Committee, said growth has been averaging more than 16% per year thanks to taking full advantage of the maritime economic potential, and the local average annual income in now more than 1,600 USD, twice what it was 5 years ago.