A seafood market in central Vietnam explodes in monsoon colors

By Nguyen Hai August 13, 2018 | 05:14 pm PT

Raincoats worn by buyers lend festive hues to an open seafood market in Nghe An Province.

Middle men in their raincoats gather at the seafood market at 5 a.m.

At 5 a.m., the seafood market that springs up in Cua Lo Town's Nghi Thuy ward every day is an explosion of colors as hundreds of boats, thousands of brightly colored crates and raincoats, millions of different kinds of silvery fish, conical hats and colorful scarves mingle together.

A woman pushes a fish basked down the slide for transferring to the shore.

A woman wearing a conical hat and scarf pushes a fish basket down the slide from the pier to the shore.

Nguyen Canh An, a boat owner, shared that a mid-size boat can earn up to VND50 million (around) $2,100 after a two night-catch of more than two tons of fish. A smaller boat would earn between VND20-25 million.

Four plastic crates of fish are weighed. Nguyen Canh An, a boat owner, said that a mid-size boat can earn up to VND50 million ($2,100) after a two night-catch of more than two tons of fish. A smaller boat would earn between VND20-25 million.

The market sells many types of fish from herring, albacore tuna, scad mackerel, and more.

A woman in a blue raincoat walks away with a basket of fish. The market has different types of fish, including herring, albacore tuna and scad mackerel.

Transaction takes place right at the shore when fishes are freshly caught.

Transactions take place as soon as the fish are brought ashore from the sea to this pier.

Some nearyby venues neary sell fishes to middle men and travellers. Depend on the season, some venue could sell up to one ton of fish per day.

Some nearyby shops sell fish to middle men and other buyers. Depending on the season, some shops sell up to a ton of fish per day.

Depends on the types, fishes will be grilled between 10-30 minutes

Coals glow bright as different kinds of seafood are grilled right at the area. Depending on the species, the fish are grilled for 10-30 minutes.

Locals even buy fishes (mostly mackerel) to grill before transferring to nearby as the wet markets begin.

A woman applies a marinade with a brush to grilled mackerel slices for selling at local wet markets.

Fishes are sold at morning wet market can range between VND80,000-VND350,000 per kilogram depends of the fish type.

Grilled fish sold at a morning wet market costs between VND80,000-VND350,000 per kilo.