Vietnam closes access to this very popular diving spot, to give the corals time to regenerate.
Vietnam has closed a tourist island in the center of the country popular with divers, in an attempt to revive the coral reef which has been badly damaged in places. Recent photographs taken off Hon Mun Island, a scuba diving site near central Nha Trang due to its diverse ecosystem, showed bleached and damaged corals.
Coral reefs across Southeast Asia have been hit hard by global warming, with scientists warning their degradation could have devastating economic and environmental repercussions.
Measures already taken in Thailand
According to state media, around 60% of the area’s coastal bottom was covered in live coral in 2020. That figure has dropped to less than 50% today.
Authorities say powerful storms in 2019 and 2021 may have damaged corals, but illegal fishing, dredging, littering and construction activities are also blamed.
Globally, corals are home to around 25% of marine biodiversity.
Vietnam’s decision follows a similar measure taken in Thailand, which restricted access to the famous Maya Bay beach , immortalized in the film “The Beach” with Leo DiCaprio, in order to give the local ecosystem a fighting chance. to recover. The closure had lasted three years.
