Major coral loss in Vietnam’s first marine protected area: Study

mongabay.com Keith Anthony Fabro 20 Jun 2025 VietnamOceans

  • Vietnam’s first marine protected area (MPA), Nha Trang Bay, has lost nearly 200 hectares (494 acres) of coral reef since it was established in 2002, according to a new study.
  • Major drivers of the coral decline include coastal development, warming sea temperatures and devastating crown-of-thorns starfish (Acanthaster planci) outbreaks worsened by overfishing and nutrient pollution.
  • The study calls for stronger conservation measures inside Nha Trang Bay and other MPAs, including pollution control, active reef restoration and inclusive community governance.
  • Experts say Nha Trang Bay offers lessons for other MPAs in Southeast Asia facing similar threats.

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Vietnam’s first marine protected area, Nha Trang Bay, has lost nearly 200 hectares (494 acres) of coral reef since its creation in 2002, a new study shows. The alarming decline raises fresh questions about how effective conservation efforts have been in protecting one of the country’s most iconic coastal ecosystems.

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Coral reefs in Vietnam face collapse. Can conservation efforts turn the tide?

APnews.com

Jonathan Hanitzsch rests after collecting trash off the coast of Hon Mot Island on Feb. 7, 2025, in Nha Trang, Vietnam. (AP Photo/Yannick Peterhans)
Jonathan Hanitzsch rests after collecting trash off the coast of Hon Mot Island on Feb. 7, 2025, in Nha Trang, Vietnam. (AP Photo/Yannick Peterhans)

By  YANNICK PETERHANS and ANIRUDDHA GHOSALUpdated 9:02 AM GMT+7, March 5, 2025Share

NHA TRANG, Vietnam (AP) — The gentle waves off the coast of central Vietnam’s Nha Trang obscure an open secret: The life-giving coral reefs below are dying. The waters are eerily devoid of fish. The bounty of the ocean is coming to an end.

This is why Binh Van — who fished in these waters for over two decades — now charters his boat to Vietnamese tourists wanting to experience the thrill of fishing in the deep waters of the South China Sea. But there is only squid, which is flourishing in oceans warmed by climate change, to catch. His passengers don’t mind as the boat moves away from Nha Trang’s twinkling beach resorts. But Van is pensive.

Nguyen Tuan Hai drives Rainbow Diver's boat to Madonna Rock, Feb. 7, 2025, in Nha Trang, Vietnam. (AP Photo/Yannick Peterhans)
Nguyen Tuan Hai drives Rainbow Diver’s boat to Madonna Rock, Feb. 7, 2025, in Nha Trang, Vietnam. (AP Photo/Yannick Peterhans)

It wasn’t always like this. There was a time when he’d catch 70 kilograms (154 pounds) of fish, like tuna and grouper, in one night. He can’t make money on the squid.

“Now I usually go home empty-handed,” he said.

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‘Zero recovery’ for Great Barrier Reef corals in back-to-back bleaching

Researchers said last month they were detecting another round of mass bleaching this year after a severe event in 2016, and their fears were confirmed after aerial surveys of the entire 2,300km long bio-diverse reef.

Last year, the northern areas of the World Heritage-listed reef were hardest hit, with the middle-third now experiencing the worst effects. Tiếp tục đọc “‘Zero recovery’ for Great Barrier Reef corals in back-to-back bleaching”