Why Are the Hon Chong Coral Reefs Strictly Protected?

On July 21, Mr. Dam Hai Van made an announcement. He serves as Director of the Nha Trang Bay Management Board. His agency recently teamed up with the Vietnam – Russia Tropical Centre. They surveyed coral reefs in the Hon Chong marine area. This zone holds the most diverse coral ecosystem within the Nha Trang Bay Marine Protected Area.

The Hon Chong waters served as a recent tourist hotspot. Careless visitors broke off corals there. Two individuals received fines of 25 million VND each. That incident sparked widespread public discussion recently.

62 Rare Nearshore Coral Species

The Nha Trang Bay Management Board shared new data. The Hon Chong – Dang Tat marine area sits in North Nha Trang Ward, Khanh Hoa Province. It preserves nearly intact coral reefs, including many rare species. Coral coverage spans about 4.8 hectares. Hon Chong covers 1.56 hectares. Dang Tat spans roughly 3.19 hectares.

The Hon Chong marine area features a unique and rare coral reef ecosystem. Photo: Mr. Xuan Hoat

Khanh Hoa Provincial People’s Committee issued directives in 2023. The provincial Department of Agriculture and Environment joined the effort. The Nha Trang Bay Management Board collaborated with the Vietnam – Russia Tropical Centre. Experts conducted surveys to research corals in Hon Chong and Dang Tat.

Researchers ultimately identified 62 coral species. These species belong to 12 families across both monitored zones. The Faviidae family dominates with 17 species. The Acroporidae family follows with 14 species. The Poritidae family includes 9 species. Other families contain between 1 and 4 species.

“This is the most diverse area in Nha Trang Bay regarding coral,” Mr. Dam Hai Van acknowledged. The zone retains the highest number of Acropora species at 8 types. The region thrives with an average hard coral coverage of 32.4% across the entire zone.

Survey findings show specific metrics. Researchers applied the reef health classification table by English and CS from 1997. Overall coral health in Hon Chong – Dang Tat currently ranks at a medium level. Average hard coral coverage across individual survey points ranges from 15.7% to 65.7%.

The highest coverage sits in the northwest of Hon Chong at 65.7%. Southern Dang Tat reaches 50.3%. Northern Dang Tat records the lowest coverage at 15.7%.

“Coral coverage here exceeds other research sites,” Mr. Dam Hai Van noted. The Vietnam – Russia Tropical Centre studied other zones in Nha Trang Bay. Hon Chong – Dang Tat displays healthy reef status with coverage above 50%. It outperforms other zones within the marine protected area.

A “Cradle” for Coral Reef Research and Conservation

Mr. Dam Hai Van shared more insights. The Hon Chong marine area acts as a vital cradle. It helps researchers achieve historic milestones. Experts advance natural propagation methods for sustainable coral recovery.

“Our team achieved a unique result here,” Mr. Dam Hai Van stated. Experts from the Tropical Ecology Department gathered natural coral gamete samples. This marks a first for domestic research efforts. It creates a breakthrough in studying local coral sexual reproduction.

Coral reefs in the Hon Chong waters. Photo provided by Mr. Dam Hai Van

Tropical Ecology Department studies highlight new solutions. Harvesting wild coral gametes enables proactive conservation. Experts rely on sexual reproduction techniques now.

“We can combine eggs and sperm from different colonies,” Mr. Dam Hai Van explained. This method bypasses traditional coral transplantation. It generates numerous juvenile corals across wide areas. Genetic diversity increases as a result.

Propagating corals through this path fosters resilient generations. New corals adapt well to harsh environments. The approach lowers extinction risks amid climate change. It combats heavy human pressures effectively.

The research team aims high. They want to scale up sustainable propagation methods. Projects will secure steady coral seed supplies soon. Restoration efforts will expand across Nha Trang Bay. Nationwide projects will also benefit from this breakthrough.