Ca Mau fishermen equipped with communication devices
As many as 63 fishing boats in the southernmost province of Ca Mau on February 18 were fitted with ICOM radio devices.
The devices, worth nearly VND800 million (US$34,800), were handed over by the Vietnam Red Cross chapter in Ca Mau province under the programme “East Sea Connectivity” to the fishermen in the districts of Nam Can, U Minh, Dam Doi, Ngoc Hien, Tran Van Thoi, and Phu Tan.
According to Nguyen Thi Kim Chi, Vice President of the chapter, the devices are to support fishermen in keeping close watch on the weather and enable them to contact the mainland during offshore fishing operations, to ensure their safety.
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Ca Mau is now home to 5,000 fishing vessels, but only 2,000 of them can operate offshore.
Initiated by the Ministry of Information and Communications, the Vietnam Red Cross, The Radio Voice of Vietnam and Vietnam Television, the “East Sea Connectivity” programme calls for domestic and foreign aid to equip all fishermen nationwide with telecommunications devices.
The programme is aimed at supporting and encouraging fishermen to continue in their traditional fishing areas and protect national sea and island sovereignty.
