On June 20, according to information from the People’s Committee of Ca Mau Province, the local government has just approved the decision to establish a Marine Protected Area covering a total area of 27,000 hectares, encompassing the marine regions surrounding the islands of Hon Khoai, Hon Chuoi, and Hon Da Bac.
View of Hon Khoai Island, located in Tan An Commune, Ngoc Hien District, Ca Mau Province. (Photo: Huynh Anh/TTXVN)
Of this area, the functional sub-zones cover 18,000 hectares (with a strict protection zone of 3,000 hectares, an ecological restoration zone of 11,230 hectares, and a service-administrative zone of 3,970 hectares), along with a buffer zone of 9,000 hectares.
According to the People’s Committee of Ca Mau Province, the purpose of establishing the protected area is to safeguard and conserve fishery resources, marine species, rare and endangered species, as well as economically and scientifically valuable species living within the reserve; protect the environment, ecosystems, and natural landscapes; conserve marine biodiversity linked to sustainable ecotourism development; improve the livelihoods of local fishing communities; and enhance community participation in marine biodiversity conservation and development.
Hon Chuoi Island. (Photo: Huynh Anh/TTXVN).
Specifically, the conservation efforts will focus on preserving unique and important natural ecosystems such as the coral reefs around Hon Chuoi and Hon Hang; conserving the unique natural landscape and biodiversity of the Hon Khoai, Hon Chuoi, and Hon Da Bac islands for scientific research, education, ecotourism, adventure tourism, and relaxation.
Efforts will include the restoration and rehabilitation of natural ecosystems combined with artificial coral reef ecosystems in degraded areas around Hon Chuoi and Hon Hang; protecting, rehabilitating, and developing populations of endemic and rare species of conservation value, particularly migratory species such as the golden-tailed lizard, Hon Khoai cotton squirrel, doves, white-bellied sea eagles, branching corals, rock lobsters, and pearl oysters…
Additionally, it will protect fish species such as shrimp, glass shrimp, bottle-nose fish, flatfish, and more along the eastern coastal areas of Hon Khoai and western Ngoc Hien.
Simultaneously, efforts will be made to minimize or eliminate factors that reduce environmental quality, the structure of ecosystems, biodiversity, fishery resources, and natural resources; enhance the resilience of ecosystems within the marine protected area to adapt to natural fluctuations and climate change.
The conservation targets include coral ecosystems, breeding grounds, spawning areas, and aquatic species living within the protected area, especially rare species with economic and scientific value.
The Chairman of the People’s Committee of Ca Mau Province, Huynh Quoc Viet, stated that in the short term, the province will prioritize investing in essential infrastructure; implementing communication programs, livelihood transition projects, and community development.
Regarding ecosystem restoration programs and projects, research will be conducted to apply translocation conservation methods to restore and conserve rare species; continuing to deploy artificial reefs as shelters for fish species; and establishing conservation programs for the golden-tailed lizard and cotton squirrel on Hon Khoai Island.
In the immediate future, the province has assigned the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (Fisheries Sub-Department) to lead and coordinate with relevant units to organize the management of the Marine Protected Area in accordance with regulations.
In the long term, when the protected area meets the conditions for service exploitation and is expected to generate self-sustaining revenue, a proposal will be made to establish a Management Board for the Marine Protected Area, which will be managed by the Fisheries Sub-Department, Huynh Quoc Viet, Chairman of the People’s Committee of Ca Mau Province, added.
View of Hon Da Bac Island from above. (Photo: Trong Dat/TTXVN).
Ca Mau Province has a fishing ground that spans approximately 80,000 square kilometers and is one of the four major fishing grounds in the country. However, the region is currently facing numerous challenges due to overfishing that depletes fishery resources, as well as climate change causing fluctuations and declines in environmental quality.
Therefore, with the establishment of the Marine Protected Area, Ca Mau hopes to create a favorable environment for scientists, university students, schoolchildren, and nature enthusiasts both domestically and internationally to visit, study, and learn at the reserve.
This will enhance the role of protecting fishery resources and island resources while promoting traditional cultural values, historical sites, and humanitarian values on the islands, contributing to strengthening national defense, security, and sovereignty over the seas and islands of the homeland.
