In recent days, many fishing ports across the Mekong Delta region have been busier than in previous months, with hundreds of boats docking and trading activities in full swing. Returning vessels are laden with fish, and fishermen are buoyed by strong earnings as the southwestern sea enters its peak season for scad and mackerel. Taking advantage of favorable weather conditions, many crews are preparing for their final fishing trips of the year, hoping to secure a prosperous Tet holiday.
At Rach Goc fishing port in Phan Ngoc Hien Commune and Song Doc fishing port in Song Doc Commune of Ca Mau Province, boats are arriving continuously. Fisherman Tran Thanh Lap, whose vessel docked at Song Doc, said the recent trip delivered abundant scad, Indian mackerel and other species. After 21 days at sea, the boat generated more than VND925 million (US$35,215) in revenue. Once expenses were deducted, profits exceeded VND310 million, with each crew member earning nearly VND30 million.
Boat owners noted that the final fishing trips of the year are not only yielding plentiful catches but also commanding high prices, further lifting morale. As a result, many plan to continue operating until close to Tet ( the Lunar New Year), or even throughout the holiday. Nguyen Van Phinh, a boat owner from Cai Doi Vam Commune in Ca Mau Province, said that after a short rest for the crew, preparations would resume for another voyage, adding that the last trip of the year will be very successful, allowing them to enjoy a big Tet holiday.
According to Quach Tan Tam, Deputy Director of the An Giang Fisheries Port Management Board, large offshore vessels are now returning to shore to sell their catches. At Tac Cau fishing port, the largest facility in An Giang Province, the number of docked fishing and transshipment vessels has risen from the usual five or six to as many as nine or ten during the peak season. Since the beginning of 2026, total volume handled at the port has reached an estimated 100 tons.
Owning two large vessels specializing in purchasing seafood at sea and transferring it to Tac Cau port, Phan Thanh Nhan in Ward 9 of Phu Quoc Special Zone said the year’s final trips recorded the highest yields, particularly short mackerel and Indian mackerel, with prices at sea ranging from VND30,000 to VND35,000 per kilogram. After expenses, he earned tens of millions of Vietnamese dong per trip.
Similarly, fisherman Nguyen Van Hoa from Rach Gia Ward recently returned after nearly a month at sea with a successful haul, especially of Indian mackerel. With an estimated catch of about 30 tons and selling prices of around VND30,000 per kilogram for Indian mackerel, Mr. Hoa expects profits of roughly VND200 million. Each crew member is set to receive about VND10 million.
