Cu Lao Cham Proposed Marine Protected Area
| Alternative site name(s) None Province(s) Quang Nam Area 6,719 ha Coordinates 15°52' - 16°00'N, 108°22' - 108°44'E Agro-ecological zone South Central Coast Decreed by government No Management board established No |
Investment plan prepared No VCF eligibility criteria met None Social screening criteria met None Conservation needs assessment prepared No Operational management plan prepared No Tracking tool completed No Yes |
Management history
Cu Lao Cham was included on Decision No. 194/CT of the Chairman of the Council of Ministers, dated 9 August 1986, as a 1,535 ha nature reserve (MARD 1997). An investment plan was prepared by Hoi An Town People's Committee in 1994. This investment plan was approved by the then Quang Nam-Da Nang Provincial People's Committee, by Decision No. 1272/QD-UB, dated 11 July 1994 (Quang Nam Provincial FPD in litt. 2000).
In 1995, Hai Phong Institute of Oceanography proposed establishing a marine protected area at Cu Lao Cham, comprising the nature reserve (Nguyen Huy Yet and Vo Si Tuan 1995). Subsequently, Cu Lao Cham was included on a list of 16 proposed marine protected areas compiled on behalf of the former MOSTE (Nguyen Chu Hoi et al. 1998). The proposed area given in this proposal was 1,544 ha, comprising only the nature reserve; the marine component was not defined.
The proposal to establish a marine protected area at Cu Lao Cham was reiterated by the Asian Development Bank (ADB 1999) in its marine and coastal protected areas systems plan for Vietnam. In the ADB proposal, the area of the site is given as 6,719 ha, comprising a terrestrial component of 1,544 ha and a marine component of 5,175 ha. The terrestrial component is currently managed as a Special-use Forest by Hoi An Town FPD (verbally 2003).
Topography and hydrology
Cu Lao Cham proposed marine protected area is centred on the Cu Lao Cham archipelago, which consists of one large island and seven smaller ones. The largest island, Hon Lao, covers an area of 1,317 ha and reaches an elevation of 517 m. The marine protected area proposed by ADB (1999) does not include the whole archipelago, only Hon Lao and the waters and islands off its western end. A large proportion of the proposed marine component is deeper than 20 m, although the waters around the islands are shallower.
Biodiversity values
The terrestrial biodiversity of the site is reviewed in the Cu Lao Cham Nature Reserve site card. From a marine conservation perspective, the most important habitat at the proposed marine protected area is the coral reefs that occur off the western and south-western shores of Hon Lao and most of the smaller islands. These reefs have an average coral cover of 34%, and have similar characteristics to the reefs in the Tonkin Gulf. The dominant coral species are members of the genera Acropora, Montipora and Goniopora. To date, 131 hard coral species, 187 reef fish species, 84 mollusc species, and 12 echinoderm species have been reported from the area (ADB 1999).
Conservation issues
The major threats to marine biodiversity at the site are over-exploitation of marine resources and the prevalence of destructive fishing methods, such as dynamite fishing and use of small-mesh nets. These threats are believed to arise from the poor economic situation of the local people. Potential future threats include pollution from industry and agriculture, and unsustainable tourism development (ADB 1999).
Other documented values
Hon Lao is the only island in the archipelago to have permanent water. Consequently, it is the only island with permanent human habitation: around 3,000 people in two settlements (Trinh Van Toan, Vice-chairman of Hoi An Town Peoples Committee verbally 2003). The main economic activity on the island is subsistence fishing, although fisheries productivity around the islands is reportedly very low, and fishers often have to travel to other areas for fishing (Thai Truyen, Vice-director of Quang Nam Provincial FPD verbally 2003). ADB (1999) reports that the archipelago's inshore waters have already been heavily over-exploited.
ADB (1999) believes that the islands and the surrounding marine area have high potential for eco-tourism development. The islands are situated close to Hoi An town, and the town people's committee are trying to restructure the economy of the islands to introduce ecotourism (Trinh Van Toan, Vice-chairman of Hoi An Town Peoples Committee verbally 2003). In 2003, the first tourism infrastructure was built on the islands.
Related projects
In 1999, the Institute of Oceanography carried out a marine biodiversity survey at the proposed marine protected area. In 2001, a survey on marine products was conducted by Quang Nam Department of Fisheries and Nha Trang Institute of Oceanography (Thai Truyen, Vice-director of Quang Nam Provincial FPD verbally 2003).
Between 2003 and 2006, the Ministry of Fisheries will implement the Danida-funded project Support to the Marine Protected Area Network in Vietnam. One of the main objectives of this project will be to support the establishment of Cu Lao Cham Marine Protected Area.
Conservation needs assessment
A conservation needs assessment has not been conducted for the site.
Operational management plan
An operational management plan has not been prepared for the site.
Eligibility against VCF criteria
The site is ineligible for VCF support because it is not a Special-use Forest.
| Criterion |
Eligibility |
| AI |
|
| AII |
|
| BI |
|
| BII |
|
| BIII |
|
| CI |
|
| CII |
Social screening requirements
A social screening report has not been prepared for the site.
| Criterion |
Eligibility |
| A |
|
| B |
|
| C |
|
| D |
Literature sources
ADB (1999) Draft coastal and marine protected areas plan. Hanoi: Asian Development Bank.
Nguyen Chu Hoi, Nguyen Huy Yet and Dang Ngoc Thanh eds. (1998) [Scientific basis for marine protected areas planning]. Hai Phong: Hai Phong Institute of Oceanography. In Vietnamese.
Nguyen Huy Yet and Vo Si Tuan (1995) [Information on proposed marine protected areas on the coast of Vietnam]. Hai Phong: Hai Phong Institute of Oceanography. In Vietnamese.
Vietnam News (2002) Denmark funds second maritime park. Vietnam News 23 November 2002.
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