From late July to early October, as the ariid catfish season reaches its peak, coastal fishermen make the most of favourable tides to cast their nets and haul in their catches, earning some extra income along the way.

With no advance warning, a school of sergestid shrimps suddenly rides the tide close to shore, turning a stretch of sea red. In a rush, right after the acetes arrive, villagers along the sandy shore grab nets, baskets, and bowls and head into the sea to scoop them up. Regarded as a festival day for the fishing village, the day the sergestid shrimps arrive brings both a meaningful source of income and a lively, bustling atmosphere to coastal fishing communities.

“Vai nom tren cat” (Fish Trap Baskets on the Sand) or “Vai chai tren cat” (Fishing Nets on the Sand) is one of the activities staged by residents of Thuan An from the familiar movements of traditional fishing work. During every festival season in this coastal area, “Vai nom tren cat” becomes a vibrant source of spiritual and cultural enjoyment for local people and visitors alike.

After waiting for nearly 2 hours on the beach of Giang Hai Commune (Phu Loc), Mr. Thuan started to collect the net. Ironically, the net only had a few small fish when he pulled it up. Meanwhile, just a few hundred meters away, Mr. Hai's net was full of fish waiting to be picked.