The fishing gear making industry is bustling in the season.

When the upstream water flows in, bringing alluvium and flood products, the fishing gear making profession to serve the fishing needs in many communes in Can Tho city also enters the busiest time of the year, creating additional income for many households.

Many rural households have extra income from weaving traps to catch fish.

Early in the morning of the last day of September, in Hiep Hung commune, Can Tho city, Mr. Nguyen Van Sua's family was busy making traps. Having been involved in the profession for more than 20 years, Mr. Sua shared that the flood season from the 7th lunar month to October every year is the time when traps sell best. His family produces all three types of traps, of which the 30-32cm long bamboo trap is the best seller. Each trap costs from 15,000-27,000 VND, after deducting expenses, the profit is 6,000-10,000 VND/trap. Thanks to that, after the flood season, his family earns an income of more than 15 million VND, enough to cover living expenses. "Doing this job requires a lot of effort, having to cut bamboo, split, whittle, dry, weave the finished product... but thanks to it, during the few months of the flood season, the family also has a significant additional source of income," Mr. Sua confided.

While the craft of weaving traps requires many meticulous manual steps, in Phuong Binh commune, Can Tho city, the craft of making nets is closely linked to the support of machines. Mr. Trinh Van Hau, a householder who is attached to the craft, said that in the past, weaving nets by hand was very slow. But now, with lead clamping machines and lead rolling machines, the products made have increased many times. Each day, a person can complete 70-100m of net, focusing on perch nets and three-layer nets - the types used a lot during the flood season. Thanks to this side job, each household earns an average additional income of about 5 million VND/month. "The machines help the net threading process to be more precise and faster, especially the three-layer nets for more effective fishing, so many people order them during the flood season," Mr. Hau added.

Not only the households directly producing, but also the small traders at the rural market have entered the bustling business season. At Kinh Cung market (Hoa An commune), Ms. Bui Thi Chuyen said that there are a variety of fishing gears for sale, of which nets and dôn are the two best-selling types. The price of nets ranges from 65,000 VND to more than 300,000 VND/handle depending on the length, while dôn costs 50,000-150,000 VND/piece. Compared to previous years, the price has not fluctuated much, only increasing by 10,000-20,000 VND/handle due to high demand. "There are not enough imported goods so nets are scarce, while other types such as traps, fish pestles, 12-door fish traps... have stable prices," Ms. Chuyen shared.

It can be seen that the flood season not only brings abundant fish and shrimp, but also promotes the development of traditional occupations associated with the river area. Every time the floodwaters rise, the pace of life in the craft villages becomes bustling, the sounds of splitting bamboo, weaving traps, and weaving nets resound with the excitement and cheerful laughter of the rural people. The profession of making fishing gear and selling fishing gear at the market has become a familiar livelihood, helping many families increase their income during the flood season. More importantly, it is also a labor culture that the people of Can Tho have preserved and passed down through many generations, closely linked to the development of their homeland...

Article and photos: DUY KHÁNH

Source: https://baocantho.com.vn/nghe-lam-ngu-cu-danh-bat-thuy-san-nhon-nhip-vao-mua-a191659.html