In many central provinces, the sea has been encroaching on the shore because the coral reefs that protect the sea shore have been overexploited.

In Khanh Hoa province, the coral overexploitation also once happened. Corals were used as the materials to make lime which can replace cement in small construction works. However, since the day the Ran Trao Ecosystem Protection Area was established 10 years ago, the coral reefs and the biological diversity in the area have been rescued. The protectors here are the thousands of households in Van Ninh commune.

Local residents have successfully engrafted corals, thus helping effectively restore coral reefs. Meanwhile, many other South East Asian countries once tried to graft corals, but they failed.

The maritime protection area MPA, which has been used also as an eco-tourism site, has brought great opportunities to develop the local economy and protect the natural resources as well. According to Le Van Thang, Deputy Chair of the Van Ninh district people’s committee, the model of Ran Trao is a success story of the plan on calling for the community’s cooperation to protect the natural resources.

The 28 hectares of dead coral reefs have been reviving strongly, while aquatic creatures have been developing strongly again. Since local residents well understand the importance of coral reefs and biodiversity, they do not regret their strength to protect the environment.

The Ran Trao MPA has been implementing the pilot program on developing the community ecotourism with the tours allowing people to do the sightseeing in the coral reef areas. All the receipts from tourism have been used to protect the area.

Protecting the environment for corals to develop

The appearance of the so called “spiny starfish” has become a big threat to the local ecosystem, which is the residing place for 350 varieties of corals in the Nha Trang Bay protection area.

The spiny starfish has appeared in masses because of the overexploitation of their natural enemies. Therefore, the Board of Management of the Nha Trang bay MPA has kicked off a campaign to kill spiny starfish.

According to Nguyen Thanh Tai, a senior official of the MPA, when spiny starfish creeps near coral, it would exudate--which can kill corals.

In order to encourage fishermen to kill starfish, every spiny starfish would be bought by the MPA at 6500 dong which would be killed later. In the last 11 years, the local residents have killed more than 100,000 starfish individuals.

The Nha Trang Oceanography Institute is carrying out a research work on sargassum which is believed to be very important to corals and other species of aquatic creatures. If sargassum disappears, the ecosystem would change and become worse.

In Tam Hai commune of Nui Thanh district of Quang Nam province, three patrol teams have been established. Their duty is to ensure that corals and Sargassum are exploited on schedule.

“In 2012, the Sargassum harvesting season began on May 15 and would finish at the end of July,” said Tran Dinh An, Head of the Thuan An hamlet’s team.

An said that since people understand the importance of the aquatic creature, they have been following the regulations in harvesting and protecting the species for sustainable development. According to UNEP, the economic value of a square kilometer of corals could be 100,000-600,000 dollars per annum.

(Dai Doan Ket)