(VOVworld) – Many Vietnamese fishermen have voiced their objection to China’s fishing ban in the East Sea from May 16 to August 1.

The fishermen said they would not leave their traditional fishing grounds. Huynh Thi Nhu Hoa, a ship owner in Da Nang city said that while fishing in Vietnamese waters her ship was attacked and chased away by Chinese vessels. Fishermen Le Van Hanh of Ly Son district in Quang Ngai province said Chinese ships have frequently provoked Vietnamese fishermen in Vietnamese waters: “Vietnam has sovereignty over the sea and islands of Hoang Sa archipelago. We are Vietnamese so we have the right to fish in Vietnamese waters. China’s ban has been in place for years, not just this year, but we will continue our normal activities because this area belongs to Vietnam.”

Hundreds of fishing boats in Khanh Hoa province are now ready to go offshore. Mai Thanh Phuc, President of the Fishing Association of Phuoc Dong commune, Nha Trang city, said approximately 20 boats with 200 fishermen would continue to fish in the Truong Sa fishing ground: “China’s fishing ban is invalid and unreasonable to us because this is Vietnamese seas. None of our ships will stop their operations.”