Vietnam will set up 11 new marine protected areas (MPA) from now to 2015 so that MPAs will cover 0.24 percent of the country’s total sea area, according to an MPA development plan for the 2010-2020 period.
At a seminar held in Nha Trang city, the central province of Khanh Hoa on Nov. 30, the Department of Fisheries Resources Management presented a list of the planned MPAs, including Tran and Co To islands in Quang Ninh province, Cat Ba and Bach Long Vi islands in Hai Phong city, Hon Me island in Thanh Hoa province, Hai Van-Son Tra island in Da Nang city, Ly Son island in Quang Ngai province, Hon Cau and Phu Quy islands in Binh Thuan province, Con Dao island in Ba Ria-Vung Tau province and Nam Yet island in Khanh Hoa province.
Between 2016-2020, the department will focus on improving the legal documents and development plans regarding MPAs, as well as the capacity of officials involved in the area.
The department will also try to zone up five more MPAs in this period.
Vietnam currently has four MPAs situated in Nha Trang bay, Con Co island in Quang Tri province, Cham isle in Quang Nam province and Phu Quoc island in Kien Giang province.