Three goals, five outcomes in protecting coral reefs in Nha Trang Bay

Three objectives, five results

On August 4, the Khanh Hoa Provincial Women Association, in collaboration with the Nha Trang Municipal People's Committee, the Nha Trang Bay Management Committee, the Vietnam-Russia Tropical Center, and other units launched a project aimed at promoting dialogue and cooperation between communities, private sectors, and state management agencies in the protection of coral reefs and the sustainable development of the Hon Mun marine area in Nha Trang Bay.

The conference was conducted in light of the fact that the environment of Nha Trang Bay, in general, and the coral reefs in the marine area of Hon Mun, in particular, have suffered severe degradation in recent years due to a number of objective and subjective factors. 

Faced with this issue, Khanh Hoa provincial authorities issued Announcement No.349 on June 21, 2021, requesting the preservation and restoration of Nha Trang Bay. Defining it as a vital, necessary, and long-term mission of the province and city of Nha Trang is also essential. 

In accordance with Decision No. 3028 dated November 7, 2022, the Provincial People's Committee of Khanh Hoa also issued a plan to restore Nha Trang Bay until 2030. Through this plan, the province of Khanh Hoa wishes to convey the message "Joining hands to preserve the world's most beautiful bays" to Ministries, Central departments, and international organizations in an effort to gain their support.

Khanh Hoa province also requires departments, agencies, and branches in the province to actively coordinate to carry out their assigned responsibilities in accordance with their functions and tasks, and to solicit the participation of businesses and people in the province.

Chairman of the Khanh Hoa Provincial Women's Union Nguyen Quynh Nga stated that the Provincial Women's Union has actively mobilized resources, participation, dialogue, and cooperation in response to this issue. Public and private cooperation with government agencies in Hon Mun's marine area for coral reef conservation and sustainable development. Concurrently, the United Nations Development Program, the Small Projects Grant Program, and the Global Environment Facility (UNDP/GEF SGP) have approved the project proposal for implementation between 2023 and 2024.

Ms. Phan Thi Hoa Binh, vice president of the Women's Union in the province of Khanh Hoa, stated that the initiative has three primary objectives. To develop and implement a public-private dialogue mechanism for the environmental protection of Nha Trang Bay and coral reef conservation in the strictly protected area of Hon Mun, Nha Trang Bay. 

Second, strengthen the cooperation between the community, the private sector, and state agencies in the strictly protected subdivision of Hon Mun, Nha Trang Bay, regarding environmental protection and coral reef conservation. Thirdly, to establish a sustainable livelihood base for the residential community Bich Dam residential group resides in close proximity to the rigorously protected subdivision of Hon Mun, Nha Trang Bay.

In addition, the initiative is anticipated to produce the following five outcomes: Public-private dialogue forum on environmental preservation, conservation, and development of coral reefs in Hon Mun, Nha Bay. The site is established, managed, and maintained with effectiveness and efficiency.

The awareness of stakeholders, primarily the community and private companies that exploit and use the Hon Mun Sea area and Nha Trang Bay, regarding environmental protection and coral reef conservation in order to maintain community livelihoods and sustainable development of seas and islands has been significantly raised.

Through the coordinated action of stakeholders, primarily the community and businesses, plastic pollution and coral reef degradation in the strictly protected area of Hon Mun was reduced and progressively restored, respectively. 

The priorities for the Bich Dam residential group's (Vinh Nguyen) sustainable livelihoods are defined and established through collaboration between the Bich Dam community and the private sector operating in the Hon Hon Beach region. Municipal and provincial agencies.

Coordination mechanism and policy recommendations to promote dialogue and cooperation between stakeholders in environmental protection, coral reef conservation, and the Hon Mun strictly protected subdivision in relation to sustainable livelihoods. 

The total fund for this project exceeds 2.5 billion VND, of which more than 1.1 billion VND comes from the Global Environment Fund while the remaining was mobilized come the Vietnam - Russia Tropical Center, the Union of Women in Khanh Hoa Province, the People's Committee of Vinh Nguyen Ward, and the Nha Trang Bay Management Board.

Nha Trang Bay is the thirty-first member of the Club of the world's most attractive bays, incorporating global and national values such as marine, coastal, and coral reef ecosystems. This is also Vietnam's first marine protected area (MPA). This MPA includes Hon Mun as a strictly protected subdivision. The waters of Hon Mun are home to more than 250 species of reef fish, 112 species of mollusks, 122 species of crustaceans, 27 species of echinoderms, 69 species of seaweed, and seagrasses, as well as hermit crabs. This is the region with the greatest marine biodiversity in Vietnam, especially rich in corals, which have developed up to 350 species.

Cooperate to preserve coral reefs

Ms. Nguyen Quynh Nga expects to receive the attention and direction of the Provincial People's Committee, departments, departments, and branches, as well as the active participation of enterprises in Nha Trang City that have activities in Nha Trang Bay, in order to achieve the aforementioned objectives and outcomes. Especially residents of the Vinh Nguyen ward, particularly women involved in environmental awareness-raising, join forces to safeguard the environment and promote the growth of green, clean, attractive, and environmentally friendly community tourism. Therefore, she expects that the project output, not the project itself, will be sustainable.

Mr. Tran Hoa Nam, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee of Khanh Hoa, is looking forward to obtaining the Joint Development Program's attention and support in the near future after hearing the opinions and proposed project objectives and outcomes. United Nations, Small Projects Grant Program - Global Environment Facility; Vietnam - Russia Tropical Center, research institutes, scientists, and experts. Concurrently, it is recommended that relevant departments and branches assist the Provincial Women's Union and other units in coordinating the implementation of the project in order to best achieve the proposed project objectives, results, and activities; contribute to the implementation of the Nha Trang Bay Restoration Master Plan to 2030.

At the project's inauguration ceremony, the Project Management Board introduced sixteen members, headed by Ms. Nguyen Quynh Ng, Chairwoman of the Khanh Hoa Provincial Women's Union.