Fishermen in Da Nang city, and the central region as a whole, are expressing their strong discontent with China’s unilateral fishing ban in the East Sea, which encompasses the Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) waters, between 16 May and 1 August, according to a local newspaper.

They will continue to make more offshore fishing trips, regardless of China’s worthless ban.

The Da Nang Today Online quoted Chairman of the city’s Fishery Association Tran Van Linh said his association strongly protest against China’s fishing ban, which is totally groundless.

He stated that China has no rights to unilaterally enforce the ban in the East Sea. In addition, Chinese fishing vessels are illegally operating in Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone, and they have intentionally rammed into Vietnamese fishing boats.

He also affirmed that the fishing ban clearly proves its malice to impede Vietnamese fishermen from earning a living to support their families.

According to the newspaper, since China illegally positioned its oil rig in Vietnam’s waters on 2 May, fishermen from the central region have shown a strong determination to fish in the Hoang Sa waters and maintain their legal fishing activities .

The paper quoted Dinh Ngoc Cho from Quang Ngai province as saying that he had sold 25 tonnes of seafood from his offshore fishing boat. After his 15-day fishing trip, he earned 15 million VND and his crew members were paid 5 million VND each.

He added that, during their trip, he and his crew members were persistent with their fishing activities despite continuous aggressive actions triggered by some Chinese ships.

Le Van Chu from Da Nang city said that after his 8-day trip he earned 80 million VND from selling the seafood he had caught. His vessel’s 10 crew members were paid 2 million VND each.

Ong Van Nhien from the Management Board of Da Nang’s Tho Quang Wharf and Port said that, on average, 45 offshore fishing vessels dock at the wharf every day.

He added that the boats have brought home a total of around 160 tonnes of seafood every day since May 1. This month’s sea catch output and the number of fishing boats returning to the wharf are equal to the figures of the same period last year. Currently, local offshore fishing vessels are operating normally in Vietnam’s fishing grounds.-VNA