Nha Trang City (Khanh Hoa Province) proposes reopening diving sites in the Hon Mun area after a period of suspension to restore the coral ecosystem.
This proposal was put forth by the People’s Committee of Nha Trang City in a report outlining the implementation of the comprehensive plan for the restoration of Nha Trang Bay until 2030. The proposal includes reopening the diving site at Hon Mun Island after a temporary suspension to restore the ecosystem of this area.
The Nha Trang Bay Management Board had previously suggested to the People’s Committee of Nha Trang City to allow the reopening of the diving site on the southern side of Hon Mun Island. With this proposal, the Management Board will be responsible for closely monitoring and controlling the number of tourists to avoid causing strain on the ecosystem. This will be applicable only to registered professional diving organizations and individuals, and divers participating must hold international sports diving certificates.
Many divers feel sad when they witness the scene of the desolate seabed. Photo: Minh Kha.
Additionally, the Bay Management Board suggests continuing the suspension of diving activities, regularly monitoring coral reefs, and organizing patrols and 24/7 control in the remaining areas of Hon Mun Island.
Furthermore, the board will collaborate with experts to assess the current state of coral reefs at Hon Mun. If positive results are achieved, consideration will be given to reopening diving sites in this area.
Prior to this, starting from June 27, 2022, the Nha Trang Bay Management Board temporarily halted swimming, snorkeling, boats, and glass-bottomed boats in the waters around Hon Mun Island until further notice. During this period, temporary diving arrangements were made at the Northeast of Hon Rom Island with limited visitor numbers.
Regarding the incident, by the end of 2022 and March 2023, the Northern and Southwest parts of Hon Mun Island had a coral coverage rate (including both hard and soft corals) of about 74.5%. This rate falls within the good range (51-75%) on the ranking scale.
In the Northwest and West of Hon Mun Island, due to the impact of Typhoon No. 9 in December 2021, coral reefs were damaged and broken. Currently, there are signs of recovery, particularly with Acropora dominating and various soft coral species thriving.
This recovery is a result of implementing measures to enhance patrols, surveillance, and temporarily suspending all tourism activities in the strictly protected zones.
@Vietnamnet
Discover more from Vietnam Insider
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.