High fuel prices make fishing unviable option in Vietnam

[Barrett808]

High fuel prices have eroded Vietnamese fishermen’s profits from deep-sea fishing trips which – once profitable – are now causing losses.

Since last year gas prices have gone up by 60 percent.

For a three-month trip for a pair of fishing boats, fuel alone cost VND320 million to VND480 million ($20,000 to $30,000), a ship owner who has just lost VND100 million ($6,250) on one such trip, said.

Tran Van Tan, another owner, said a trip that fetched a profit of over VND100 million ($6,250) last year caused a loss now.

As a result, many owners are wary of going out to sea. In Ba Ria-Vung Tau province’s Phuoc Tinh port alone, some 30 large vessels lie idle. Nguyen Van Beo, after a recent three-month fishing trip, lost over VND70 million ($4,375).

(more)

http://www.thanhniennews.com/society/?catid=3&newsid=17210

High fuel prices may be the last hope for the oceans.

[acmejack]

1. Perhaps they need to devalue their currency.

I doubt you can buy anything for 1 VND.

[hogwyld]

2. In the long run..

This will be good if the fishing industry has to take a break for awhile if only to let the overfished ocean recover a bit...

[bananas]

3. Dog meat is probably healthier anyway.

Too much mercury in fish.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dog_meat

[kurth]

4. In Europe too?

Henrik, Prince Consort of Denmark has admitted that he loves to eat dogs. According to him, "dog meat tastes like rabbit, like dried baby goat, or perhaps <...> like the veal of a baby suckling calf, only drier." ...

According to the November 21, 1996 edition of the Rheintaler Bote, a Swiss newspaper covering the Rhine Valley area, the Swiss rural cantons of Appenzell and St. Gallen are known to have had a tradition of eating dogs, curing dog meat into jerky and sausages, as well as using the lard for medicinal purposes.