How to propose adjusting the boundary of Hon Cau Marine Reserve?

Lam Dong province is completing a project to adjust the boundaries, functional zones and area of ​​Hon Cau Marine Reserve due to overlapping planning of many other socio-economic development projects.

Hon Cau Island belongs to Hon Cau Marine Reserve, Tuy Phong Commune, Lam Dong Province - Photo: DUC TRONG

Hon Cau Marine Reserve in Tuy Phong commune, Lam Dong province (formerly Tuy Phong district, Binh Thuan ) is one of 16 marine reserves in the country, established in 2010, with an area of ​​12,500 hectares.

Many projects overlap with Hon Cau marine reserve

However, many neighboring projects such as Vinh Tan Thermal Power Center, Vinh Tan International Port and dredged material storage area (of Vinh Tan thermal power plant and port cluster) overlap with Hon Cau Marine Reserve.

To deal with the above overlapping problem, in 2015, the former Binh Thuan province proposed to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (now the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment ) to remove 1,060 hectares from the boundary of Hon Cau Marine Reserve, but it was not approved.

The above overlap has lasted for many years, causing difficulties in the process of marine conservation and developing the province's socio-economic goals.

In 2019, the Government issued Decree 26 detailing a number of articles and measures to implement the Fisheries Law. At this time, the functional subdivisions of the marine protected areas were adjusted accordingly.

From here, the locality built a project to adjust the boundaries, functional zones and area of ​​Hon Cau Marine Reserve to suit reality.

Vinh Tan Thermal Power Center - Photo: DUC TRONG

Maintain the area of ​​the reserve

Based on reality, the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Lam Dong province has developed two plans to adjust the boundaries, area and functional zones of Hon Cau Marine Reserve.

Among them, there is a proposed plan to adjust the boundary of Hon Cau Marine Reserve from 300m to 500m from the shore. With this plan, the reserve will be reduced by about 550ha compared to the planned area approved by the Prime Minister.

Fishing boats anchored at Hon Cau Marine Reserve - Photo: DUC TRONG

According to a leader of the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Lam Dong province, in the latest meeting, the province chose to keep the area of ​​Hon Cau Marine Reserve unchanged, in accordance with the Prime Minister's planning of 12,500 hectares.

With the selected option, the total area of ​​Hon Cau Marine Reserve after adjustment remains unchanged, only reducing 72 hectares of land on Hon Cau Island. This reduction in area is due to updating the land status according to the 2022 land statistics of the People's Committee of the former Binh Thuan province.

The disadvantage of the chosen option is that the boundary is taken close to the shore, affecting other socio-economic development projects proposed by the former Binh Thuan province.

From Hon Cau Island, looking far away is Vinh Tan Thermal Power Center - Photo: DUC TRONG

However, the provincial Department of Agriculture and Environment said that there are currently no urgent projects to be implemented along the coast. If there is a need in the future, the department will consult and consider adjusting it.

The above plan only adjusts the boundaries and areas in all functional zones. Specifically, in the strictly protected zone, the area of ​​Hon Cau will be expanded by 207 hectares and the area of ​​Breda Shoal will be reduced by 900 hectares.

The ecological restoration zone will reduce 900 hectares in Vinh Tan - Vinh Hao, and establish two new areas in Phuoc The and La Gan. The administrative service zone will increase the area by 1,925.1 hectares of sea and 29.01 hectares of land in Hon Cau (received from the strictly protected area).

The Chairman of Lam Dong Provincial People's Committee has assigned relevant departments and branches to coordinate to complete the project, with the plan to keep the area intact to submit to the Provincial Party Standing Committee.

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Source: https://tuoitre.vn/de-xuat-dieu-chinh-ranh-gioi-khu-bao-ton-bien-hon-cau-the-nao-20251021161507228.htm