Phu Quoc fish sauce making craft recognized as national intangible cultural heritage

Phu Quoc fish sauce-making craft has existed for a long time and is dubbed as a unique feature in the regular life of people in Phu Quoc island and Kien Giang province. Phu Quoc fish sauce-making craft is associated with the formation and development of Phu Quoc in progress from an island district to the brilliant first island city of Vietnam.

The Ministry's decision wrote: “Putting into the List of National Intangible Cultural Heritage: Traditional Crafts, Folk Knowledge - Fish sauce making craft in Phu Quoc.”Despite the contraction due to the rapid development of tourism, at present, Phu Quoc is still home to more than 100 fish sauce production facilities, mainly concentrated in Duong Dong and An Thoi, with estimated output reaching over 10 million liters per year.

In Phu Quoc, some families make fish sauce from generation to generation. Fish sauce production facilities are called barrel houses.

Phu Quoc fish sauce is famous for its high protein proportion, sweet taste, and aroma of Soc Tieu anchovies, which is only available at Phu Quoc. The fishing season for Soc Tieu anchovies mainly takes place from July to December annually. As soon as the first net is pulled up, these fishes will be picked up by a racket, removed impurities, and washed with seawater, then they are immediately mixed with salt with the ratio of 3 fishes and 1 salt, and taken to the ship's hold. This way of mixing can help retain the fishes’ freshness and ensure that the fish sauce features the highest protein content and does not have a bad smell.

The standard incubation process of Phu Quoc fish sauce lasts for 12 months. The fish sauce is drawn in order, initially, the fish sauce essence has a protein content of over 30, followed by a long batch with a protein level of over 20. After draining the protein, all the aforêmntioned sauces will be mixed to acquire the highest protein content by natural methods.

According to Deputy Director of Kien Giang Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Thi Diep Mai, Phu Quoc fish sauce making is the first national intangible cultural heritage of Kien Giang province. In July 2020, Nam O fish sauce craft village in Da Nang was also recognized as a national intangible cultural heritage.