Local fishermen have returned home following a nearly one-month long trawling expedition with a quite good catch. However, tuna prices have drastically dropped by around VND30,000 (USD1.30) to VND100,000 per kilo.
The tuna caught by fishermen in Phu Yen
The lower prices have caused many fishermen to make losses, while just a small number of fishing boat owners have made a modest profit.
Phan Ngoc Chau, a fishing boat owner in Tuy Hoa City, said that his seven-member team caught 40 tuna weighing 1.4 tonnes in total. But he made a profit of just VND20 million (USD869.56), meaning that each only received nearly VND3 million.
Chau hoped that authorities would hold tuna auctions soon so that fishermen could have a better income.
Another fisherman Huynh Duc Son in Tuy Hoa City said that he had expected to earn well after the year-end fishing expedition, but tuna were then sold at low prices.
Phan Thanh Luc, manager of Dong Tac fishing port, said traders had complained that the tuna quality was not very good and the fish were bought for domestic sales only.
More than 100 fishing boats in Tuy Hoa Town have arrived at the port since January 1, with average productivity of 1.7 tonnes each. Many others are also due to dock.
