O Loan Proposed Marine Protected Area
| Alternative site name(s) O Loan lagoon Province(s) Phu Yen Area 2,650 ha Coordinates 13°14' - 13°19'N, 109°15' - 109°20'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
The Asian Development Bank (ADB 1999) proposed establishing a marine protected area at O Loan, with a total area of 2,650 ha, comprising a terrestrial component of 200 ha and a marine component of 2,450 ha.
Topography and hydrology
O Loan lagoon is located in Tuy An district, Phu Yen province. O Loan lagoon has been formed by coastal deposition and is separated from the sea by a sandy peninsula, with a narrow channel at the mouth of the lagoon. The maximum depth of the lagoon is only 2 m (ADB 1999). In addition to the lagoon, ADB (1999) proposed that the marine protected area include nearby marine waters and Mai Nha island.
Biodiversity values
There is little information available on the biodiversity of O Loan lagoon. Mai Nha island is surrounded by coral reefs. There are about 10 ha of seagrass beds at the site. Past surveys have recorded 30 species of seaweed, 16 species of mollusc and 20 species of crustacean (ADB 1999). During January 2002, O Loan lagoon was visited during a rapid biodiversity survey of the coastal zone of central Vietnam, conducted by BirdLife International and the Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources. However, the site was found to have high levels of human disturbance and no waterbirds were recorded (Le Manh Hung et al. in prep.).
Conservation issues
Unplanned development of aquaculture has had serious negative impacts on the marine ecosystem at the site (ADB 1999).
Other documented values
The landscape of the site is very picturesque, although it is reportedly being destroyed by construction (ADB 1999).
Related projects
No information.
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.
Le Manh Hung, Nguyen Duc Tu, Nguyen Quang Truong, Tordoff, A. W. and Nguyen Viet Hung (in prep.) A rapid biodiversity survey of the coastal zone of central Vietnam. Unpublished report to the BirdLife International Vietnam Programme, the Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources, and Thua Thien Hue Provincial Department of Science, Technology and the Environment.
Scott, D. A. (1989) A directory of Asian wetlands. Gland: IUCN.
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