Hon Cau Marine Reserve will have an area of more than 16,000 hectares after adjustment.

This was one of the topics of great interest to media outlets inside and outside the province at the October 2023 press briefing organized by the Provincial Party Committee's Propaganda Department this afternoon (October 31).

At the briefing conference, Mr. Nguyen Thanh Phuc, Deputy Director of the Hon Cau Marine Protected Area Management Board, provided information on the implementation process of the Project "Review and Adjustment of Functional Zoning and Boundaries of Hon Cau Marine Protected Area, Binh Thuan Province". To date, the Project to adjust the boundaries and area of Hon Cau Marine Protected Area has been unanimously approved by the provincial appraisal council and has received feedback from the Provincial People's Committee and the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee. Based on the conclusion of the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee in Notice No. 609-TB/VPTU dated October 23, 2023, the Hon Cau Marine Protected Area Management Board is finalizing the Project to submit to the Provincial People's Committee for comments from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development according to the prescribed procedures.

The Hon Cau Marine Protected Area (MPA) was established by the People's Committee of Binh Thuan province in 2010 and operates under Regulation No. 42/2012/QD-UBND dated October 17, 2012, issued by the People's Committee of the province. This is a provincial-level species and habitat conservation area with a total area of 12,500 hectares; located within the boundaries of three communes: Phuoc The, Vinh Hao, and Vinh Tan in Tuy Phong district; and divided into four functional zones: the strictly protected zone (core zone), the buffer zone, the ecological restoration zone, and the development zone. The objectives of the Hon Cau MPA are to protect marine resources, biodiversity, habitats of marine organisms, the environment, develop the economy and ecotourism, and manage and sustainably utilize marine resources.

Hon Chim Island is part of the Hon Cau Marine Protected Area.

Over more than 10 years of operation, amidst the strong development of socio-economic sectors in the locality, especially the Vinh Tan Power Center and Vinh Tan International Port, which are key economic projects of the Central Government and the province, there is overlapping in the waters of the marine protected area. This not only significantly affects the function of the protected area and makes it difficult to meet the set conservation goals, but also impacts the implementation of the aforementioned projects in this area. Furthermore, an assessment of the effectiveness of the marine protected area after 10 years of operation to make appropriate adjustments in management and move towards sustainable development has not yet been carried out.

According to the plan, after adjustments, the Hon Cau Marine Protected Area will have an area of 16,607.5 hectares (16,467.5 hectares of sea and 140 hectares of land). Specifically, the strictly protected zone will have an area of 1,523.5 hectares, including 1,384.5 hectares of sea and 139 hectares of land on Hon Cau Island; the ecological restoration zone will have an area of 963.7 hectares of sea; and the service and administrative zone will have an area of 14,120.3 hectares, including 4,119.3 hectares of sea and 1 hectare of land on Hon Cau Island. The buffer zone of the Hon Cau Marine Protected Area will have a sea area of 1,356 hectares.

After the adjustments, Hon Cau Island will have an area of over 16,000 hectares.

According to the plan, the Hon Cau Marine Protected Area will be adjusted from 4 functional zones (core zone, buffer zone, ecological restoration zone, and development zone) as approved in Decision No. 2606/QD-UBND dated November 15, 2010, of the Provincial People's Committee, into 3 functional sub-zones (strictly protected sub-zone; ecological restoration sub-zone; administrative service sub-zone) and a buffer zone as stipulated in the new regulations of Government Decree No. 26/2019/ND-CP dated March 8, 2019. In addition to maintaining or adjusting the status quo of the strictly protected zones at Brenda Shoal, Hon Cau, and the coastal ecological restoration zone in Vinh Tan commune, the Project has established two new ecological restoration zones in the coastal waters of Phuoc The and Binh Thanh communes to conserve and protect biodiversity and resources, especially to preserve, protect, and promote the landscape of the mossy beach and the seven-colored rock beach, contributing to the development of ecotourism associated with the Co Thach Pagoda scenic site.

Hon Cau scenic spot has significant historical value.

Hon Cau Marine Protected Area is one of Vietnam's 16 marine protected areas, not only beautiful in its natural landscape but also highly valued for its biodiversity, showcasing a diverse range of aquatic organisms, benthic animals, seaweed, seagrass, coral, fish, invertebrates, mammals, birds, reptiles, sea turtles, etc. Researchers consider Hon Cau to be of extremely important location, a vast fishing ground for Vietnam.

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