On October 21, USAID, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the General Department of Fisheries, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam launched a project to preserve coastal habitats in the Mekong Delta - a project announced during the visit of US Deputy Prime Minister Kamala Harris to Vietnam last August.
With a budget of 2.9 million USD sponsored by USAID, the project will be implemented over 3 years with the aim of preserving the coastal habitats of the Mekong Delta to improve the sustainability of the seafood industry, increase adaptation to climate change and improve biodiversity conservation.
The Mekong Delta and surrounding island clusters are home to 70% of mangrove forests and 90% of the marine grassland in Vietnam. Fed by sediment and nutrients from the Mekong River, this area has become the most favorable environment for developing the richest aquatic resources in Vietnam, however, this area is also facing an increasing threat.
The mangrove forests of the plains - a haven and breeding ground for species such as snakehead fish, pink fish and many other aquatic species of important commercial significance as well as playing an important role in protecting coastal communities from rising sea levels due to storms - are currently narrowing due to rising sea levels.
Important fisheries ecosystems in the plains are being threatened more by environmental pressures such as prolonged droughts, increased temperatures and the need for groundwater exploitation for aquaculture and near-shore fishing, which have exhausted fish reserves and caused ecological damage.
Through a cooperation mechanism with businesses, local authorities, the management board of the marine reserve of Phu Quoc National Park and the fishermen community, the project will be implemented to reduce threats to coastal biodiversity and the seafood industry, while increasing resilience to coastal areas of the Mekong Delta.
Geographically, the project will focus on implementation in the lowest and most vulnerable coastal areas of the plains along the East Sea, the West Sea, the Phu Quoc Sea Reserve, as well as in three small island clusters in the West Sea (Hai Tac, Ba Lua, Nam Du).
The main components of the project include: (1) Strengthening management at Phu Quoc Marine Reserve to preserve ecosystems and species more effectively, (2) Establishing a network of locally managed marine areas to protect ecosystems such as coral reefs and marine grass in three island clusters, (3) Seeking solutions to preserve and expand mangrove forests to increase the breeding environment for aquatic products and preserve biodiversity in coastal areas.
The results of the project are expected to contribute to addressing systemic threats in the Mekong Delta, supporting measures being implemented by the Vietnamese Government, such as the amended Law on Fisheries, Resolution 36 of 2018, Resolution 120 and the 2019 Planning Law.
