(VOVworld) – Hundreds of fishing boats from Khanh Hoa province began a new catch at Truong Sa fishing ground on Tuesday, the sixth day of the first lunar month.

Fishermen in the central region are happy to have a bumper catch and high selling prices.

Mai Thanh Phuc, the owner of a tuna fishing vessel in the Truong Sa fishing ground, said fishermen felt encouraged by the successes of fishing trips late last years, thanks to the decline in petroleum prices. Phuc’s family is preparing for a 20-day fishing voyage. He says “as this is the first trip of the lunar year. We hope for a good start that makes for a good ending. Fishing in the deep-sea areas is a way to protect national maritime sovereignty. It’s good news for offshore fishermen that the weather is set to be good; the price of petroleum has decreased and the price of other products are stable. I can make a profit of nearly 1,900 USD on a fishing trip.”

Between the sixth day and the middle of the first lunar month, the number of fishing boats of south central provinces going in and out of fishing ports in Khanh Hoa usually increases sharply. Do Trung Hiep, the deputy Director of the provincial center for aquatic product management and development, says that“all five fishing ports in the province have worked round the clock to support fishing boats to unload the caught fish and gather more essential goods for the next trip. There are separate areas to transfuse fuel and unload fish to help fishermen free the cargos as quickly as possible.”