HCMC – More than 50% of HCMC’s offshore fishing vessels had departed for their first fishing trips of the year as of February 25, according to the city’s fishing port management authority.
Fishing activity resumed soon after the Lunar New Year holiday, with vessels leaving ports and anchorages from the fourth day of the lunar calendar. The city has 4,458 fishing vessels, with more than half operating offshore, reported the Vietnam News Agency.
At Loc An fishing port in Phuoc Hai Commune, nearly 40% of more than 150 local vessels had set sail by February 25.
Duong Minh Tuan, a crab fishing vessel owner, reported stable catches and prices in 2025, with more than 60 tons harvested across three trips. He completed safety checks, activated vessel monitoring systems, and signed commitments to comply with regulations against illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing before leaving port.
At the Ben Loi–Binh Chau anchorage, departures began on the fourth day of the Lunar New Year, with about half of local vessels leaving between February 5 and 7.
More than half of the vessels at Long Hai fishing port had also departed by February 25. Fishermen continued offshore operations despite higher fuel costs and reduced fishing areas, according to vessel owners.
The fisheries sector targets seafood output of more than 397,000 tons in 2026, focusing on offshore fishing and improving product quality for export, according to the city’s fishing port management authority.
