The beautiful coral reefs which are a special tourist attraction in Nha Trang Bay are dying en masse.
Covering some 160 square kilometres, Nha Trang Bay Marine Protected Area, formerly known as Hon Mun Marine Protected Area runs along neighbouring islands including Hon Tre, Hon Mieu, Hon Tam, Hon Mot, Hon Mun, Hon Cau, Hon Vung, Hon Rom, Hon Noc and surrounding waters.
Visitors to the area usually participate in coral reef sightseeing tours with Hon Mun being famous for having the most diverse marine ecosystem.
However, many visitors to the area have recently shared photos and complaints about the dying coral reefs.
Explaining the situation, head of Nha Trang Bay Marine Protected Area's management board, Huynh Binh Thai, said that this is caused by various factors including global warming, rain storms, and the outbreaks of some epidemics that have badly affected the marine ecosystem.
"These are global issues that are difficult to control," he said. "Global warming has caused coral bleaching in many countries in recent decades. A survey conducted in Nha Trang Bay in 2020 showed that coral bleaching was affecting some 39.5 percent of the local coral system. We're carrying out some measures to protect the coral reefs in Nha Trang."
Thai added that the management board had banned scuba diving and only allowed snorkelling services at Hon Mun Island which is home to a dense coral reef ecosystem and a breeding place for many kinds of fish.
Nha Trang Bay is home to over 222 kinds of fish, over 350 kinds of coral, 120 species of molluscs, and 70 species of crustaceans.
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