Sustainable livelihoods from joining hands to conserve the ocean

Exploitation combined with conservation

Worried about the crabs becoming extinct, in 2006, the Cu Lao Cham Marine Protected Area Management Board and Hoi An authorities discussed conservation measures with the aim of creating livelihoods for the islanders. After 2 years of implementation, in 2008, a crab catching community group was established with the aim of both exploiting and protecting them.

*People are only allowed to exploit stone crabs when they are of sufficient size.*

According to Mr. Nguyen Duy Khanh, Chairman of the Cu Lao Cham Stone Crab Cooperative and Head of the Stone Crab Catching Team, each month, members of the team are only allowed to exploit about 50 stone crabs, with a crab size of 7 cm or more (body width). Crab exploitation on the island takes place from January to the end of the 7th lunar month, the remaining months are prohibited because it is the crab's breeding season.

*Eco-labeling of crabs is a successful model in harmoniously combining protection and rational exploitation of resources in Cu Lao Cham.*

According to regulations, stone crabs with shells over 7 cm wide and not carrying eggs are allowed to be labeled for sale; those that do not meet the standards will be retained and released back into the natural environment. Restaurants that sell stone crabs without the label of the exploitation team will have their crabs confiscated by the authorities and will be fined.

“The stone crab protection model not only protects stone crabs but also benefits local people. Previously, people sold crabs for only 200,000 VND/kg and were often forced to lower the price by traders, but since the model was born, the minimum selling price was set at 500,000 VND/kg, raised to 750,000 VND/kg and is now 1.2 million VND/kg; restaurants and pubs process and sell for 2 million VND,” Mr. Khanh added.

Mr. Le Vinh Thuan - Deputy Director of the Cu Lao Cham Marine Reserve Management Board said that the activities of the Stone Crab Exploitation and Protection Community Group are a successful model in harmoniously combining protection and reasonable exploitation of resources in the Cu Lao Cham World Biosphere Reserve. Through actual surveys, recently, the number of natural stone crabs has begun to increase in number, contributing to maintaining the diversity of the ecosystem on the island.

Another effective model is the Bai Huong Village Marine Conservation Co-management Sub-area (Tan Hiep Island Commune - Cu Lao Cham). Local people are assigned more than 19 hectares of water surface of the marine conservation area to organize and manage, control fishing activities and develop services.

After 10 years of operation, the model has met the expectations of the people, from a precarious livelihood to now, Bai Huong fishermen have increased their income when exploiting and organizing tours . After the success of this sub-area, the people of Tan Hiep island commune continue to master the technology, support the marine reserve to build nurseries, restore more than 4000m2 of hard coral reefs. This is the first model in the country, the community organizes to manage, exploit and develop livelihoods in parallel with the goals of the marine reserve.

Increasing income based on green tourism

Cu Lao Cham is the second marine reserve in Vietnam with an area of 235km2 surrounding 7 islands, recording the presence of habitats and marine biodiversity among the best in Vietnam. In Cu Lao Cham, there are more than 311ha of coral reefs, with about 300 species; 50ha of seagrass beds with 5 typical species; 76 species of seaweed; more than 270 species of fish; 97 species of mollusks; 11 species of echinoderms... Cu Lao Cham special-use forest has 499 species belonging to 352 genera, 115 families of 5/6 phyla of higher plants... These are important natural resources supporting the development of ecotourism and green tourism in Cu Lao Cham - Hoi An.

*Cu Lao Cham has become an attractive destination for tourists thanks to its success in marine conservation.*

Protecting and conserving natural resources in Cu Lao Cham Marine Reserve not only contributes to improving the ecological environment, regenerating aquatic resources, and diversifying the marine ecosystem, but also opens up new prospects for green tourism products and potential island tourism.

To date, more than 500 local people out of 560 households have directly participated in tourism activities with more than 12 new livelihoods. Increased income and improved quality of life are the motivation for people to participate in environmental protection and island resources. Models of waste classification at source, saying no to plastic bags, eco-labeling of stone crabs, and coral reef protection have been responded to by people and created a buzz throughout the country.

The increasing number of tourists visiting and staying in Cu Lao Cham contributes to increasing the income of the local people. The number of tourists coming to Cu Lao Cham in 2004 was several thousand people, in 2012 it was 106,000 people and before the outbreak of Covid19 was 420,000 people, which is proof of the attractiveness of this sunny and windy island area.

*Cu Lao Cham has many advantages to develop green tourism and island tourism thanks to the joint efforts of the people to preserve it.*

According to Dr. Chu Manh Trinh - conservation expert of Cu Lao Cham Marine Protected Area, Hoi An City, Quang Nam Province, based on the results of conservation in Cu Lao Cham, especially marine conservation along with promoting traditional values, people's livelihoods are improved through increased preserved resources. The living environment of creatures as well as the community is clean, tourism also takes root and specifically Cu Lao Cham community tourism is increasingly sustainable and developed as a reality.

The application of the community model of joining hands to manage marine conservation not only brings sustainable livelihoods to people but also contributes to resource management and sustainable environmental protection of the Cu Lao Cham Biosphere Reserve.

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