Ex-fisherwoman sees net gains on land

HEFEI－Instead of fishing with her husband on the Yangtze River, Chen Lanxiang, a 48-year-old ex-fisherwoman, found new business opportunities on dry land after moving ashore.

Chen, who lives in the city of Ma'anshan in East China's Anhui province, bid farewell to her old life as a fisherwoman after a ban was implemented in 2019 on her local section of the Yangtze to protect the river from overfishing.

Initially at a loss away from the water, Chen has since adapted to her new life off the boat with subsidies and job support from the local government and feels motivated by her new venture.

Running a company in the sanitary sector with eight former fisher folk in Ma'anshan, she developed a new routine negotiating businesses, employing workers and contacting customers.

The company now provides cleaning services for city roads as well as a vegetable market.

"Previously, I had just worked as a fisherwoman with my husband. It never occurred to me that I could define my own future or live in an urban community," says Chen, who, for 20 years, has spent her life drifting on a boat.

Chen and her husband used to live in Xuejiawa, a harbor on the Yangtze River where people have been fishing for generations.

Just like many others who fish for a living, the couple would head out on the boat to catch the fish before dawn and hurry back to shore to sell the fish in the early morning.

"Life was hard then. The 20-meter-long boat was our home, and it was chilly in winter and muggy in summer. We also felt alienated from society as we spent almost all of our time on the boat," she says.

Along with Chen, after the fishing ban, more than 10,000 members of the fishing community in Ma'anshan hung up their nets and settled on land as 5,651 fishing boats were dismantled.

Her new venture was never going to be plain sailing. Just like many others who were not formally educated, there were few job options for Chen after coming ashore. Despite attending several job fairs organized by the local government, she failed to find one that suited her.

Things started to change when the local government paid a visit to her home and proposed that the former fishing community could work together to run a cleaning company and they would provide free office space and practical guidance.

"I decided to give it a try, even though it was a big challenge," says Chen.

After preparations backed by the local government, the company started operations at the end of last year.

To be a qualified boss, Chen participated in relevant skills training and participates in continued learning. "I learned to use the computer, handle the budget and reach out to businesses. These were all brand-new experiences for me," says Chen, adding that she always keeps notes of what she does not understand and consults others later.

With its current contracts, the net profit of the company is about 10,000 yuan ($1,543) a month.

"I have high standards on the cleaning work, which earns us a good reputation among our clients," says Chen, adding that it further boosts her confidence.

Other members of the former fishing community also benefited from programs to help them adapt to their new lives.

With subsidies totaling 240,000 yuan from the local government, Chen and her husband spent much less than the market price on a 100-square-meter house. Chen's husband also joined a patrol team to stop illegal fishing and to clear waste on the Yangtze River, earning more than 3,000 yuan a month.

Keen to make the most of her newfound business acumen, Chen has plans for another business venture in the pipeline.

"I am getting ready to open a local specialty shop at a local scenic spot. The store is currently being designed. I'm happy to see that my future has so many possibilities now that we live ashore," says Chen.

Xinhua