Over-exploitation has led to sargassum loss in coastal areas including Ninh Van and Ninh Phuoc, Ninh Hoa District...
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| Harvesting of sargassum in Ninh Van Commune last year. |
Over-exploitation has led to sargassum loss in coastal areas including Ninh Van and Ninh Phuoc, Ninh Hoa District which used to be home to sargassum, a genus of brown seaweed.
Sargassum is distributed throughout the temperate and tropical oceans. The thick masses of sargassum provide an environment for a distinctive and specialised group of marine animals and plants.
The increased market demand for sargassum coupled with favorable economic return has resulted to uncontrolled and non-selective harvesting of the species. The harvest of sargassum has become the livelihood of poor people living in coastal areas. Sargassum used to bring an income of VND200-300,000/ person.
However, this year, Ninh Hoa Township has seen a sharp reduction in sargassum. About 200 tons of sargassum has been collected, one-third of the figure last year. The situation has resulted from the over-exploitation in recent years. The same thing is happening in Vinh Hoa Ward, Nha Trang City.
Dr. Le Nhu Hau, Nha Trang Institute for Research & Technology Application says, "The sargassum population in Khanh Hoa Province has decreased by half. Sargassum is a free-floating seaweed found offshore in mats which provides crucial habitat for a wide variety of sea species. The overharvesting has had a serious impact on the environment."
Reportedly, Khanh Hoa Provincial People's Committee issued the instruction 07/CT-UBND in 2010 on the management and inspection of the sargassum resources in Khanh Hoa Province. However, up to now, the destructive exploitation of the species has still continued.
More funding is required to boost the inspection and management of the harvesting of sargassum.
N.T
