Drought in the central province of Ninh Thuan (Illustrative image. Source: VNA)It greatly affects the livelihoods of coastal communitiesbut also sustainable development, environmental security, and sea and islandsovereignty.
Dr Du Van Toan from the Institute for Sea andIsland Research at the Vietnam Administration of Seas and Islands said seadesertification is an urgent issue.
He cited international experts as saying that preventingdesertification is a task for the entire world, requiring long-terminternational cooperation.
The United Nations Food and AgricultureOrganisation (FAO) defines a marine desert as an area where all marine speciesdie or are unable to live in due to poor natural conditions, water quality orlandscapes.
The first cause of sea desertification isclimate change which heats up air and sea water and lowers the concentration ofnutrients and dissolved oxygen. In oxygen-deficient areas, marine species usuallyswim away to seek oxygen-rich zones while others such as bivalve mollucssuspend activities and go into hibernation. These shellfish will die if theoxygen deficiency lasts too long.
Another major cause of sea desertification isthe mushrooming of coastal cities and industrial parks which generate a hugevolume of solid waste, wastewater and fumes that impact air and seawaterquality.
Most marine deserts appear near the coast,cities and industrial zones whose activities fuel greenhouse gas emissions,increase acidification, and interrupt nutrient supply along with oxygen,nitrogen and phosphorous cycles. Ocean acidification will lead to coralbleaching and habitat degradation.
Destructive fishing practices such as usingexplosives or hazardous chemicals damage important marine ecosystems such ascoral reefs, submerged forests, and sea grass. In addition, land reclamationactivities also destroy coastal forests and coral reefs.
The surge of nutrients as a result of wasterelease from human activities also leads to a bloom of toxic reddinoflagellates, also known as red tide, which kills marine species.
It takes decades, huge efforts and a lot ofmoney to recover coral ecosystems.
Too many shipping activities in one small areasuch as those near seaports or river mouths also wipe out animals there.
US scientists found that regions with lowchlorophyll, or marine deserts, are spreading around the globe, particularly inthe northern hemisphere.
In Vietnam, mass fish deaths have been recordedalong the coast of the central provinces of Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri andThua Thien-Hue, as well as at fish farms in other localities.
Vietnam, like many countries in the world, isinfluenced by climate change and waste release from cities and industrial activitieswhich have polluted the marine environment.
That fact shows Vietnam is likely to face seadesertification.
To sustainably develop and protect the maritimeenvironment, it is necessary to study the causes and expansion of marinedeserts in the waters off the coast of Vietnam. Marine deserts also need to beclassified and shown on maps.
Authorised agencies should have thoroughassessments of the impacts of socio-economic activities and security problemson the marine environment.
Additionally, they should set up specialmonitoring systems for areas at risk of desertification, and enhanceinternational cooperation on tackling sea desertification.
It is important to disseminate information aboutthis phenomenon among coastal communities and relevant organisations so thatthey are aware of the problem and join efforts to prevent sea desertification.
Vietnam now has 16 marine protection areas (MPAs). Though they cover asmall area, just 0.3 percent of total waters, they still can help maintain ecologicalbalance if they can be managed well.
Marine protection areas are believed to create a restoration effectafter five years, and later create a spillover effect which helps dispersenutrients to the surrounding areas.-VNA
VNA
