quote:
quote:Also Viets can afford to work because the government hands everything they need to them. New boats, equipment, etc No one has explained this yet

It's true to some extent. My dad had a commercial seafood dock for 25 years and we saw it. The goverenment subsidized big boats for them back in the 80's and 90's. Not sure if they still do it now. A lot of the vietnamese came over here and worked on local fisherman's boats until they could buy their own or some of them got loans from the government.

On average they do work hard but so do a lot of white commercial fisherman.

Fisherman get a bad reputation and some of it is justified. I know because I dealt with them for years. Some of them would make $40,000-$50,000 in 1-2 months during mullet season in Venice and be broke a few months later.

But just like anything and any industry, there are good ones too that save their money and are fiscally responsible. It's not easy making a living as a fisherman anymore. With imports (which started in the late 80's on), it has made it hard for them to survive. Probably more than 50-60% of them are out of the business compared to the 80's-90's.

This post was edited on 9/6/14 at 12:09 pm

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Posted by JasonL79

Member since Jan 2010

6398 posts

Posted on 9/6/14 at 12:08 pm to JasonL79

As far as prices, the shrimp factories are probably having trouble moving their high priced meat right now and that is why prices have dropped. It's a normal thing that happens every year in the shrimp business but the past two years have been unique because of the import shrimp disease problem and lower supply coming in from Asia.

In the last year or two, shrimp prices have been the highest it has been since the 70's-80's (before the imports). But if you figured in inflation they are still getting less than they did back then.

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Posted by bigxxxboss

marrero

Member since Dec 2008

10 posts

Posted on 9/6/14 at 12:29 pm to JasonL79

quote:
Also Viets can afford to work because the government hands everything they need to them. New boats, equipment, etc

Not sure where this misconception came from but this is not true at all. There is no government subsidies or handouts. Fishing boats are bought by the Vietnamese community pooling in there money. My dad and his friends bought their first boat in 83' by pooling his money with 3 other family(also had to borrow more from friends and family). The thing with minorities is they are really good at loaning money and helping each other. You will see the same thing with cambodian with doughnut shop, pakistanis with gas station, indians with 7-11, korean with dry cleaners, etc.

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Posted by tokenasian37

Member since Aug 2007

942 posts

Posted on 9/6/14 at 1:11 pm to JasonL79