Dialogue with people to jointly preserve Nha Trang Bay

Five high-tech marine farming areas

Implementing the action plan of the project "Promoting dialogue and cooperation between the community and the private sector with state agencies in coral reef conservation and sustainable development of Hon Mun marine area, Nha Trang Bay (Khanh Hoa)," on August 15, the Women's Union of Khanh Hoa province and the Project Executive Board organized a dialogue forum on sustainable seafood exploitation and aquaculture associated with protecting the environment, preserving biodiversity and coral reefs in Nha Trang Bay, and zoning to strictly protect Hon Mun.

Nha Trang Bay is one of the most beautiful bays in the world, with an area of about 507 km² and a coastline length of about 30 km from Vinh Luong to Cu Hin Cape. Regarding ecology, Nha Trang Bay is one of the rare natural models of the world’s bay system, containing most of the typical and rare ecosystems of tropical waters. These are wetland ecosystems, coral reefs, mangrove forests, seagrass beds, estuarine ecosystems, island and marine ecosystems, and coastal sandy ecosystems. Particularly, Nha Trang Bay has high biodiversity with 350 species of coral reefs, including 40% of the world's coral species.

Mr. Nguyen Nhu Dao, Deputy Director of Khanh Hoa Sub-Department of Fisheries, said that aquaculture in Nha Trang Bay is now concentrated mainly in the areas of Hon Mieu, Bich Dam, and Dam Bay, with farming objects such as lobster and marine fish. However, due to economic development orientation, especially tourism development, the aquaculture area on the bay is increasingly narrowing.

Currently, the Khanh Hoa Provincial People's Committee has submitted to the Prime Minister for approval a pilot project to develop high-tech marine farming in the province. The locations and areas of marine aquaculture in the project have been integrated according to Khanh Hoa Provincial Planning for the 2021–2030 period, with a vision to 2050. Of which, in Nha Trang city, there are five high-tech marine farming areas, including West of Tri Nguyen (13 ha), North of Hon Dung (203 ha), South of Hon Dung (200 ha), the water surface area between Dam Bay and Bich Dam (50 ha), and Bich Dam (6 ha).

Regarding the aquaculture development orientation, the City Party Standing Committee requested the City People's Committee and Party Committees of communes and wards implement solutions to expand the pilot model of developing high-tech marine aquaculture in Nha Trang city, according to the conclusion of the Provincial Party Standing Committee on expanding the pilot model of developing high-tech marine farming in Khanh Hoa.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Hai Binh, General Director of STP Group Company, one of five businesses providing sustainable green agricultural infrastructure, said that recently in Khanh Hoa, STP provided houseboats to protect the Ran Trao marine ecosystem of Van Hung Commune Aquatic Resources Protection Community Group.

Regarding sustainable marine exploitation and farming and coral reef conservation in Nha Trang Bay, STP offers a multi-layered aquaculture complex including seaweed intercropping with oysters to help reduce carbon, increase economic value, and protect the marine environment.

STP is committed to accompanying the conservation and regeneration of marine resources and ecosystems and providing quality HDPE cage products to fishermen, along with policies such as lease, installment payment at preferential costs, or support of up to 30% of conversion costs.

Nha Trang Bay is planned as a marine protected area

According to the Khanh Hoa Sub-Department of Fisheries, the entire Nha Trang city has 1,419 fishing vessels with a length of 6 m or more. Of these, 544 vessels have a length of 6 m to under 12 m, accounting for the largest proportion of 38.34% and mainly operating in the coastal waters of Khanh Hoa province, including Nha Trang Bay.

Regarding the situation of fishing activities in Nha Trang Bay, the main fishing vessel group is one with a length of less than 6 m and small capacity, concentrated mainly in the wards of Vinh Nguyen, Vinh Truong, Vinh Hoa, Vinh Tho, etc. Fishermen mainly operate trawling, squid fishing, and mixed seine fishing to catch pelagic fish, squid, etc. Aquatic products exploited in the bay mainly serve family activities, tourism, and domestic consumption.

According to the Prime Minister's Decision No. 389 dated May 9, 2024, approving the planning for protection and exploitation of aquatic resources in the 2021–2030 period, with a vision to 2050, Nha Trang Bay is planned as a marine protected area.

Currently, the Nha Trang City People's Committee and the Nha Trang Bay Management Board, in coordination with the Institute of Oceanography, are conducting surveys and functional zoning of the Nha Trang Bay marine protected area according to Decree 26/2019/ND-CP and Decree No. 37/2024/ND-CP sponsored by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). After zoning, seafood exploitation and aquaculture activities are only carried out in the service-administrative subdivision.

After listening to the above-mentioned information, people on Bich Dam Island in Vinh Nguyen ward attending the dialogue forum all agreed with the task of joining hands to preserve the sea of Nha Trang Bay. Mr. Nguyen Hoa, head of Bich Dam Island's residential group, said that in recent times, Bich Dam people have also been aware of protecting coral reefs and no longer enter Hon Mun's core area to catch seafood. However, to ensure people's livelihoods, local governments need to support people in changing jobs, as well as have policies to convert traditional cages to modern HDPE cages.

Besides, people also wish the government would soon invest in infrastructure such as electricity, roads, repairing village communal houses, etc. to develop community tourism. Currently, the women in Bich Dam all wish to develop community tourism to ensure long-term livelihoods, so they enthusiastically responded.

Responding to people's opinions, Ms. Nguyen Thi Kim Hoa, Nha Trang Bay Management Board, said that the province is now calling for businesses to invest in energy power for Bich Dam Island. Repairing Bich Dam's village communal houses is the task of Nha Trang city, which will be implemented in 2024–2025.

Regarding supporting people to convert to HDPE cages, Mr. Le Van Hoan, Deputy Director of the Khanh Hoa Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said that the Provincial Party Standing Committee has directed relevant agencies, including the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, to work with localities to expand the pilot project on high-tech marine farming. The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development is currently selecting farming households, with priority given to objects according to Article 44 of the Law on Fisheries. In the near future, when the high-tech marine farming model is replicated, there will be policies to support and attract people to convert traditional cages to HDPE cages. Besides, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has worked with the Vietnam State Bank-Khanh Hoa Branch to support farmers with a package of VND 30,000 billion to convert to the high-tech marine farming model.

Ms. Nguyen Quynh Nga, Chairwoman of the Women's Union of Khanh Hoa Province, said that after finishing the phase 1 project, we will set out policies as well as actions to implement phase 2 to provide means of livelihood and solve the issue of sustainable development for Bich Dam people. At that time, people will change the environment to develop their livelihoods and avoid indiscriminate fishing, thereby protecting coral reefs and the environment of Nha Trang Bay to develop tourism.