Con Dao becomes an important sea turtle conservation area of the world. (Photo: VNA)

The conference, held at the Centre for Environmental Education, Management Board of Con Dao National Park in the southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau, is an opportunity for experts in the field to assess the outcomes of the National Action Plan for the conservation of sea turtles in the 2016-2025 period.

Various solutions and effective models for sea turtle and marine mammal conservation are introduced, along with proposed directions and measures to enhance future efforts.
Le Tran Nguyen Hung from the Department of Fisheries Surveillance, said that the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) has issued the National Action Plan on the conservation of sea turtles for the 2016-2025 period. The plan aims to equip at least 5% of gillnet fishing boats and 10% of trawlers with turtle escape devices (TED), as well as to protect 100% of sea turtle habitats.
Le Hong Son from the Con Dao National Park Management Board reported that in the period of 2020 and 2022, the park recorded the return of 2,347 mother turtles to the local sea area for egg-laying, averaging about 700 mother turtles per year, an increase of 42.24% compared to the 2017-2019 period. The highest number of mother turtles was recorded last year, accounting for 909 individuals.
During 2020-2022, the park records 2,347 mother turtles returning to the local sea area to lay eggs. (Photo: VNA)

During the review period of 2020-2022, a total of 7,075 turtle nests were successfully protected, showcasing a 42.76% increase compared to the 2017-2019 period. Bay Canh beach housed the largest number of nests, with 4,851 recorded, followed by Hon Cau islet (747) and Tre Lon islet (732). In the first half of 2023, 1,028 nests were discovered and artificially incubated.

A total 671,601 eggs were found in the reviewed period, with 503,069 baby turtles successfully hatching and being released to the sea, markign a 53.04% increase compared to the 2017-2019 period.

Delegates said that conservation work is facing a shortage of funding. The national conservation plan has not covered the prevention of illegal trading of sea turtles, thus many law enforcement forces such as environmental police, customs, market control, military and fisheries surveillance forces have not been assigned clear roles.
In particular, worsening pollution of the marine environment has put serious impacts on the marine ecology, especially sea turtles and other rare and precious marine species.

The delegates proposed that relevant agencies clearly define the roles and responsibilities of law enforcement forces in handling violations of sea turtle conservation; organize communication activities on sea turtle conservation through the sea turtle conservation communication project, and set up mini rescue stations in sites with sea turtle habitats. In the long term, marine protection areas should be established to safeguard the habitats and nesting beaches of sea turtles.

On the occasion, participants at the workshop had a field trip to survey the conservation of forest ecosystems and visited the conservation of sea turtles at Hon Bay Canh - Con Dao National Park.