The busy port, located in North Hoai Nhon Ward, has been crowded with fishing boats unloading large yellowfin tuna and fresh squid after extended voyages at sea. Fishermen and vessel owners reported productive trips, supported by abundant catches and slightly higher market prices for several seafood products.
According to the Tam Quan Fishing Port Management Board, seafood landings at the port reached 3,220 tonnes in May, including more than 3,093 tonnes unloaded from vessels measuring 15 metres or longer, highlighting the strength of offshore fishing activities in the province.
On May 29, fishing vessel BĐ 98712-TS, owned by Huỳnh Tấn Dương, returned to port carrying more than three tonnes of seafood, including over 2.8 tonnes of yellowfin tuna. Dương said tuna stocks in traditional fishing grounds had increased this year, resulting in more favourable catches.
Fisherman Huỳnh Hương said catches had improved compared with previous years as fish were more densely concentrated in established fishing areas.
“On the previous trip, tuna sold for about 95,000 VND per kilogram (about US$3.64); this trip, the price has risen to nearly 100,000 VND per kilogram (about US$3.83). We hope prices remain stable or continue to rise to offset the ever-increasing fuel costs,” Hương said.
Strong catches have also been reported by purse seine and lift-net vessels. Although rising fuel prices have increased operating costs, many boat owners said favourable fishing conditions and stronger seafood prices have allowed them to remain profitable.
Following the sale of their catch, many vessels have quickly begun refuelling and replenishing ice and supplies in preparation for their next voyages.
“Fishermen see fishing as a long-term livelihood, so despite ongoing challenges, we are determined to stick with the trade,” said Võ Thị Kim Thư, owner of fishing vessel BĐ 98889-TS. “Each offshore trip is not only about harvesting seafood but also affirms the presence of Vietnamese fishermen in the nation’s maritime territories.”
Beyond strong catches, fishermen have welcomed progress on the dredging of the Tam Quan estuary channel, which had suffered from years of sediment accumulation that hindered navigation.
Bùi Văn Măng, owner of vessel BĐ 98903-TS, said access to the port had improved significantly as dredging work advanced.
“Previously, boats often struggled to pass through the estuary, with many running aground,” Măng said. “Each departure required hundreds of vessels to wait for high tide to head out to sea. Many boats had to transport their catch to ports in Da Nang, Quang Ngai or Khanh Hoa for unloading, increasing costs and reducing production efficiency.”
To address the issue, provincial authorities allocated more than 6.1 billion VND (about US$233,000) for an emergency dredging project at the estuary. After roughly two months of construction, about 70% of the work has been completed, gradually restoring safe access for vessels entering and leaving the port. Dredged sand is being deposited along the western embankment to help prevent erosion of the Tam Quan seawall.
The improvements have already generated measurable economic benefits. During the first four months of 2026, seafood landings at Tam Quan Fishing Port reached 7,499 tonnes, nearly double the volume recorded during the same period last year. The catch was valued at nearly 750 billion VND (about US$28.7 million), an increase of more than 366 billion VND (about US$14.0 million).
Yellowfin tuna remained the dominant species landed at the port and continued to make a significant contribution to the local seafood economy.
Đặng Văn Dẫn, Director of the Tam Quan Fishing Port Management Board, said the improved channel had attracted more fishing vessels from both within and outside the province.
In the first four months of 2026, the number of vessel arrivals increased by more than 939 trips compared with the same period a year earlier, helping stimulate fishing activity, seafood trading and the development of support services linked to the fishing industry.
