(binhthuan.gov.vn) As a coastal district of Binh Thuan province, Ham Thuan Nam district has a coastline of about 23.5 km, running along 03 communes Thuan Quy, Tan Thanh and Tan Thuan. Currently, the total number of fishing vessels engaged in fishing activities at sea is 135; in addition, in the district, there are 514 basket boats engaged in exploitation in coastal waters. The whole district has about 465 fishing households directly exploiting aquatic products; local fishing vessels and fishermen mainly operate in the waters of the district.

In recent years, the production of aquatic products has been decreasing due to the poor process of exploitation, management and protection of resources; at the same time, due to the effects of climate change and saltwater intrusion, the lives of fishermen living along the coast still face many difficulties. Facing that situation, in early 2018, the Provincial People's Committee approved the project "Promoting empowerment and building capacity for communities in sustainable management, protection, use and development of aquatic resources, contributing to the coastal ecosystem protection in Ham Thuan Nam district”.

According to the above project, the relevant agencies and units have cooperated with the People's Committee of Ham Thuan Nam district to establish 03 fishery community associations in 03 coastal communes, namely Tan Thanh, Tan Thuan and Thuan Quy, with 288 current members, implementing the model of co-management in the protection of aquatic resources with the assigned sea area of 43.4 km².

Up to now, the fishery community associations have been stable and active in operation and management; implemented conservation and protection activities for aquatic resources in the waters assigned to the communities, especially organized the construction of 41 artificial reefs in the sea to mark and prevent trawling, creating the living and reproducing places for aquatic species. The survey shows that aquatic resources and marine ecosystems in 3 communes Tan Thanh, Tan Thuan and Thuan Quy have been strongly developing, as soft corals, marine plants proliferated and grown a lot at Hon Lan reefs, Mui Ngua, Suoi Nhum estuary, etc.; the artificial reefs have attracted a lot of aquatic species for living, breeding and developing; the bivalves in particular such as crenate arks have recovered on the seabed, providing income for fishermen practicing marine exploitation.

In order to create favorable conditions for fishermen to join the community associations for the protection and development of aquatic resources in the coming time, the People's Committee of Ham Thuan Nam district has coordinated with relevant agencies and units to organize the implementation of the project on buoys releasing for marking the co-management waters for the purpose of distinguishing the maritime boundaries of the Associations; at the same time, preventing activities of prohibited occupations, especially trawling and fishing nets; creating living and breeding places for aquatic resources and forming spots to build a model of recreational fishing tourism combined with aquaculture, creating a sustainable source of income for fishery communities.

Nguyễn Phương