In the early morning hours, residents of Nam O fishing village in Da Nang City, central Vietnam gather with flashlights and gloves to harvest Porphyra seaweed.

The collection season runs from October to December, during the cooler months.

A group of women, equipped with headlights, gloves, and raincoats, make their way to a nearby beach, navigating bumpy and slippery paths with purpose.

After about 10 minutes, they arrive at the Porphyra seaweed field, where clusters of the black seaweed cling to the stones, ready to be harvested.

Porphyra seaweed typically thrives in areas with strong waves, making the stones it clings to extremely slippery and posing risks for collectors.

"Injuries are common, and there have even been fatalities from waves sweeping people away," said Huynh Thi Trung, a local resident.

Armed with rackets and thin, round metal plates the size of bowls, the group wades into the water to begin harvesting.

As the sun rises and the tides come in, they head home, their baskets brimming with freshly collected seaweed.

To pick up Porphyra seaweed, they must soak themselves in the cold seawater for hours. Some are hit by waves, and sustain injury.

Huynh Thi Tha, who has been harvesting Porphyra seaweed for many years, proudly shared that the seaweed from Nam O is a local specialty, renowned for its unique sweetness and flavor, unmatched by other varieties.

Tha added that Porphyra seaweed is versatile and can be used to prepare soups and broths.

A person can collect 2-4 kilograms of fresh Porphyra seaweed per night, earning VND200,000 (US$7.9) per kilogram.

The price of dried Porphyra seaweed is 5-6 times higher.

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