Bustling sea market

At nearly 5am, the sea was covered in silver mist, the waves lapping gently against the shore. The first pink rays of dawn spread across the grey sky, sparkling on the sides of the boats on their way back to the dock.

Far out at sea, the lights of the boats flickered like falling stars on the sea, mixed with the thin mist and the salty smell of the sea breeze. On the wharf, the chatter of the traders and the smell of fresh fish mixed with the sea breeze, awakening all the senses, signaling the beginning of a new working day.

The joy of local people when buying fresh fish.

The atmosphere on the wharf became busier as fishing boats returned one after another, their sides soaked and covered with glistening drops of seawater. As the fishing boats near the shore approached, fishermen quickly transferred baskets of fresh anchovies, mackerel, scad, mullet, needlefish, squid, etc. into baskets to be transported to shore.

This is also the time when My Quang fish market begins. The fishy smell of fresh fish mixed with the smell of engine oil, the smell of damp sand and the hurried breath of a new morning, creates a space typical of the sea here. Mr. Ba Hay - a fisherman who has been attached to the sea for many years, while transporting fish to the dock, spoke loudly above the sound of the waves: "Last night the sea was calm, we caught a good catch of mackerel. A few catches like this are enough to buy rice for the whole month!"

On the sand, plastic baskets filled with fresh fish, squid, and shrimp sparkle under the flashlights. Traders jostle to choose their goods, the sound of bargaining, weighing, laughing and fighting to buy goods… All take place right at the water’s edge, creating a bustling atmosphere typical of an early morning fish market.

Amidst the bustling crowd, Tran Thi Ut and her husband in Giai Son village (Tuy An Nam commune) hurriedly parked their motorbike and went down to the wharf. They had woken up at 4am, finished their household chores, then drove nearly ten kilometers to My Quang beach to buy the freshest fish to sell at the local markets. Ut has been involved in the fish trade for nearly 20 years, since her children were young. In the past, her husband, Nguyen The Cuong, worked at sea, and she rushed to buy fish at the wharfs to earn money to raise her children; in recent years, Cuong has been at home as a driver, becoming his "travel companion" to take his wife to buy fish everywhere.

Fresh fish are sold wholesale to small traders or sold at other traditional markets in the region. The sellers are mostly boat owners, so they rarely haggle, and all transactions are quick and easy. After jostling to choose the goods, Ms. Ut lightly sprinkles seawater on the batches of anchovies, scads, mackerels, and squid that she has just bought to keep them fresh. “Although this job is a bit hard, selling all the fish is a joy. Thanks to this job, my husband and I have been able to raise our children, and now our daughter is a teacher,” she said, smiling, her hands quickly arranging baskets of fish that still glisten with silver scales, then quickly loading the fish onto the car with other traders, preparing to drive to the markets in the mountainous areas of La Hai and Phuoc Loc to sell in time for the early morning market.

Ms. Sau Phuoc - a long-time fish seller in My Quang - said in a clear voice: "This job is hard but fun, every morning I meet customers. I buy from fishermen and then transport them to sell at nearby markets, it feels like I'm carrying the sea everywhere."

Ms. Sau's story opens up a vivid picture of the early morning life on the beach, where every day begins when the sea wakes up, My Quang fishing port turns into a bustling "wholesale" market. For tourists, coming to My Quang market is a special experience to watch the sunrise, breathe the sea breeze, and choose to buy fresh seafood right at the foot of the waves. Ms. Dinh Thi Ngoc Diep, a tourist from Ho Chi Minh City, enjoys: "The price is not much different from the market in the city, but here the fish are just pulled up from the net, not yet iced, so they are sweet to eat. My friends love this market, so when I came here to travel, I was determined to go to this market. Looking at the fresh fish and shrimp right at the water's edge, there is nothing better."

Early in the morning, fishing boats return to the dock carrying full catches of fish.

No one knows when the My Quang fish market was formed, but for the locals, it has become an indispensable part of daily life. For fishermen, the market is a place to quickly sell the fish they have just pulled in, from anchovies, mackerel, and mullet to fresh squid and shrimp. Each market session is an opportunity for them to share with each other about the sea, about calm nights, boats full of fish, fishermen laughing, but also times when the waves are stormy, the fish catch is empty, and they return to shore empty-handed.

For local traders, My Quang fish market is not only a place to buy and sell, but also a lively “news” every morning - where prices, fish quantity, weather forecasts, and news from the sea spread quickly and rhythmically. Baskets of fresh fish, bustling bargaining, laughter mixed with the sound of waves… all blend into the daily rhythm of the fishing village.

Fish from My Quang sea are transported by traders to markets in the region, bringing the salty taste of the sea to every meal of the people. Thanks to the fish market, the fishing industry becomes sustainable, helping fishermen and their families have a stable income, while maintaining the unique culture of the residents of the fishing village here.

Source: https://baodaklak.vn/xa-hoi/202508/xon-xao-cho-bien-5480de8/