Ha Long Bay is located within the boundaries, adjacent to many localities. Socio-economic activities on the bay are also managed by many departments, branches and units. After the Ha Long Bay World Heritage Site expanded its boundaries to Cat Ba Archipelago, the scope of management became even wider. Therefore, to do a good job of heritage management requires good coordination between units, branches and localities.
 Sharing with us about the challenges in inter-sectoral and inter-regional heritage management, Mr. Vu Kien Cuong (photo) , Head of Ha Long Bay Management Board, analyzed: The environment and values of Ha Long Bay World Heritage are under increasing multi-dimensional pressure from urbanization and socio-economic activities on and along the bay's shore. Specifically, the bay is home to many complex socio-economic activities involving many industries and fields such as: Tourism; aquaculture, fisheries exploitation; seaport traffic. The coastal area of the bay is adjacent to many localities with rapid urbanization (petroleum trading, coal mining, seaports, etc.), which pose a risk of water pollution and negative impacts on the ecosystems of Ha Long Bay. |
- So in recent years, how have the units worked together to manage and protect heritage associated with economic development?
+ In recent times, the province has directed functional forces to strengthen measures to manage socio-economic activities on and near the bay, requiring the deployment of permanent forces 24/24 to grasp information. The inter-sectoral coordination mechanism in managing, inspecting and supervising activities on Ha Long Bay has been strengthened. Since 2001, the province has directed the heritage management agency to sign the Heritage Management Coordination Regulation with relevant localities and sectors; establish and perfect an inter-sectoral working group to coordinate inspection and handling of violations on Ha Long Bay annually.
Accordingly, environmental protection work has inter-regional and inter-sectoral cooperation to mobilize environmental protection resources, control and monitor waste sources, and promptly prevent waste from spreading at the source that may affect the landscape and environment of the heritage. For aquaculture and fishing activities, continue to implement regulations on not fishing in the core area of the heritage and regularly inspect and supervise the compliance of organizations and individuals; request functional units to strengthen inspection, examination, and take measures to handle cases of illegal aquaculture in the absolute protection area and buffer zone under the administrative boundaries of Ha Long City, Cam Pha, Van Don District, and the area bordering Quang Yen Town; resolutely handle acts of exploitation and use of prohibited fishing gear in the area bordering Ha Long Bay - Cat Ba Archipelago.
The work of preventing natural disasters, fires, and search and rescue has been given attention, with emphasis on prevention and improving practical skills. In 2017, the province established a permanent interdisciplinary rescue team on Ha Long Bay, responding to the "4 on-site" motto; mobilizing many sectors such as Ha Long Bay Management Board, Provincial Military Command, Provincial Border Guard Command, assigning the Provincial Military Command as the presiding agency, coordinating with departments, branches, Ha Long City People's Committee and related units to develop plans and organize the implementation of tasks. The interdisciplinary team is on duty 24/7, strictly maintaining the information on-call regime, promptly handling situations on the bay, ensuring safety and efficiency...
- Not only a heritage within Quang Ninh, Ha Long Bay is now also an inter-provincial heritage when the heritage boundary has expanded to Cat Ba Archipelago of Hai Phong. So how is the coordination in protecting the heritage of Ha Long Bay - Cat Ba Archipelago currently carried out?
+ Since the early 2000s, we have promoted regional management cooperation activities through the annual signing of the Coordination Regulation on management, conservation and promotion of the value of Ha Long Bay and bays in Cat Ba Archipelago with Cat Hai district (Hai Phong city), on management, environmental sanitation, rescue, etc.
The authorities of the two localities regularly carry out coordinated patrols and monitor activities in the border areas to promptly detect acts of encroachment on the landscape, environmental resources, natural ecosystems, and biodiversity (hunting, wildlife trafficking, illegal exploitation of forest and aquatic products, illegal aquaculture, illegal dumping, environmental pollution, illegal use of cages and rafts causing environmental pollution, etc.). Organize monthly campaigns to clean up the environment on the water surface and along the foot of the islands in the border areas.
Regularly coordinate propaganda and mobilize local residents to raise awareness and voluntarily preserve the environment. During the time when Ha Long Bay - Cat Ba Archipelago had an environmental incident due to the dismantling and replacement of materials at aquaculture facilities and the impact of the recent storm No. 3, the two sides promptly mobilized forces and called for the participation of organizations, businesses, and communities to collect waste (rafts, rafts, foam buoys, etc.) floating on the sea surface.
Ha Long Bay - Cat Ba Archipelago has now become a World Heritage complex, it is necessary to move towards unity in the coordination of management and protection of this sea and island area, helping to preserve and maintain the integrity of the heritage better and better, especially in the current conditions of strong socio-economic development of the bay in the two localities. Since 2023, after Ha Long Bay's boundary was expanded to Cat Ba Archipelago, Quang Ninh province and Hai Phong city have issued many general directives, requiring the functional branches of the two localities to sign separate coordination regulations in each management area, in the management, conservation and promotion of the value of the World Heritage Ha Long Bay - Cat Ba Archipelago, especially in the border area between the two localities. Directing advisory agencies to develop regulations and plans for inter-provincial heritage management of Ha Long Bay - Cat Ba Archipelago to ensure consistency in coordination in management and environmental protection, and preservation of heritage values.
- Along with management and protection, how has the connection to exploit inter-regional tourism of world heritage been carried out in the past time? Will there be any major breakthroughs or differences in the coming time?
+ Ha Long Bay - Cat Ba archipelago has been connected in recent years, through 3 ways: Through the ferry route Tuan Chau - Gia Luan wharf (Cat Ba, Hai Phong); through tourist boats running on route 5 Port (Quang Ninh), passing through Thien Cung cave, Dau Go cave, Cho Da islet, Ba Hang cave, Dinh Huong islet, Trong Mai islet then to Cat Ba bay and to Gia Luan wharf; connecting by specialized boats, current tenders.
In order to develop inter-regional heritage tourism more strongly, the two localities have recently directed the construction of a tourism route connecting Ha Long Bay and Cat Ba Archipelago to develop new tourism products, create favorable conditions for tourists, and at the same time manage tourism activities well in the border area, preventing negative impacts on the value of the heritage. Accordingly, the units have consulted and proposed to open an additional Ha Long Bay 6 itinerary from Ha Long to Chan Voi - Vung Ba Cua - Tung Lam Island - Cap Bai Island (the end point of the itinerary adjacent to Gia Luan, Lan Ha Bay, Hai Phong).
With the efforts of the two localities, Ha Long Bay - Cat Ba Archipelago continues to be a popular tourist destination. It is estimated that by the end of 2024, Ha Long Bay will welcome about 3.1 million visitors, Cat Ba Archipelago will welcome over 1 million visitors...
- So what are the current difficulties and challenges in coordinating the management of world heritage that need to be resolved?
+ The practice of Ha Long Bay management in recent years shows that, although there are regulations on coordination between units and localities, management still faces many difficulties and challenges, due to both complex natural and social conditions. The two localities in the heritage area do not have a mechanism for coordination and inter-provincial heritage management, so some coordination activities have not been organized promptly and regularly...
Now, the pressure on the coordination of heritage protection and management will be even greater after the boundary expansion. These are large-scale tourism development, the risk of environmental pollution, pressure from fishing and aquaculture activities, impacts from the attractiveness and economic exploitation potential of the heritage... Therefore, it is recommended that the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism soon issue a coordination regulation between Quang Ninh province and Hai Phong city in managing, protecting and promoting the value of the World Heritage Ha Long Bay - Cat Ba Archipelago. At the same time, there are specific instructions on the mechanism for managing and protecting inter-provincial and municipal world heritage for localities to implement.
- Thank you for the interview!
Source
![[Photo] Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh chairs Government Conference with localities on economic growth](https://vstatic.vietnam.vn/vietnam/resource/IMAGE/2025/2/21/f34583484f2643a2a2b72168a0d64baa)
Comment (0)