On May 9, on behalf of the Government, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang signed Decision No. 389/QD-TTg approving the Planning for protection and exploitation of aquatic resources for the period 2021 - 2030, with a vision to 2050.
During the planning period, our country will have 27 marine protected areas established and operating effectively with a total protected sea area of about 463,587 hectares, accounting for about 0.463% of the natural area of the national sea (sea areas under national jurisdiction).
Specifically, the planning identifies the transition of 6 established marine protected areas, including 2 marine protected areas classified as nature reserves: Bach Long Vi Marine Protected Area of 27,000 hectares in Hai Phong City and Cu Lao Cham Marine Protected Area of 23,488 hectares in Quang Nam Province.
At the same time, 4 marine reserves classified as existing species-habitat reserves are Con Co Marine Reserve with an area of 4,302 hectares in Quang Tri province; Ly Son Marine Reserve with an area of 8,100 hectares in Quang Ngai province; Hon Cau Marine Reserve with an area of 12,500 hectares in Binh Thuan province and Phu Quoc Marine Reserve with an area of more than 40,909 hectares in Kien Giang province.
The Plan aims to establish 21 new marine protected areas; including 11 national marine protected areas and 16 provincial marine protected areas. In the sea area of Nghe An province, Hon Ngu - Dao Mat Marine Protected Area will be established. This is a provincial marine protected area, classified as a species - habitat conservation area.
Hon Ngu and Dao Mat are both located off the coast of Cua Lo town, Nghe An province. Of which, Hon Ngu island is more than 4 km from shore. The island consists of two large and small islands. The large island is 133 m high, the small island is 88 m high above sea level with a total area of 2.5 km².
Mat Island, also known as Hon Mat, has an area of 80 hectares with a coastline around the island of 5 km. The island is located about 19 km west of the nearest mainland point, Lam River mouth, in a southwest direction. There are a number of small rocky islands located about 2.3 km to the east. The island has a steep slope, the highest point is 218 m above sea level.
The sea area off Cua Lo, between these two islands, has great potential for seafood and tourism development. Marine and coastal ecosystems, including the established marine protected area system, play an important role in maintaining biodiversity, providing seafood resources, regulating weather and climate, and providing natural infrastructure to cope with natural disasters and climate change.
Expanding the area of marine protected areas is an important part of the blue ocean economy, considered one of the effective and low-cost methods to maintain and manage aquatic resources and protect marine biodiversity.
To establish, manage and effectively organize the activities of marine protected areas, the Plan for protection and exploitation of aquatic resources for the period 2021-2030, with a vision to 2050, has proposed many implementation solutions.
In particular, it emphasizes research on developing policies on investment in essential infrastructure for marine protected areas; enhancing socialization and attracting non-budgetary capital sources for the establishment and management of marine protected areas; associated with increasing the State investment budget for the management, construction and development of marine protected areas.
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