Vietnam’s Ocean Health Index ranks lower than that of other countries,reflecting that the state of the marine ecosystem is declining andcontinues to decline in the next five years, the Ministry of NaturalResources and Environment has warned.
The OHIcalculates an annual global score that assesses the condition of marineecosystems and provides a means to advance ocean policy and comparefuture progress worldwide.
Vietnam’s OHI scores 50 out of 100
According to the study "Measuring the health of the marine ecosystemby Ocean Health Index - a new approach in integrated management ofnatural resources" carried out by Du Van Toan and Pham Le Duy Anh -Institute of Sea and Islands Management Studies, Vietnam Administrationof Seas and Islands, OHI is invented and announced by a team ofscientists at the National Center of Ecological Analysis and Synthesis(USA) and International Conservation Organization in 2012.
While other analysis indexes mainly focused on analysing the negativeimpact of human activities on the environment, OHI analysed and realisedthe benefits of human derived from the ocean and the way humans cansustainably manage and preserve the ocean’s benefits for futuregenerations.
OHI is based on 10 criteria of ecology,society and politics, including the ability to provide food, fishingopportunities for local fishermen, the ability to offer naturalproducts, carbon storage, coastal protection, the ability to improve thelives and economy development of coastal fishermen, the value oftourist services and entertainment, landscape, clean water andbiodiversity. Ten criterions are rated on a scale of 100.
Now, OHI ranges from 36 to 86. Especially, Jarvis Island in the SouthPacific - a relatively primitive island having no habitant reaches thehighest score (86). The countries with high OHI are Canada (70), the US(63), the UK (62), and China (53).
These countriestend to rank higher because they have more resources for marineconservation and import seafood. Meanwhile, Vietnam's index was 50points lower than those of other countries. Especially, Vietnam’s OHIscores move down on the following criteria: providing natural food andproducts, tourism and entertainment.
It is expectedthat in the next five years, food supply, fishing opportunities andlandscape’s features will increase. However, the ability to offernatural products, carbon storage ability, coastal protection ability,the ability to improve the lives and economy development of coastalfishermen, clean water and biodiversity will decrease.
The Vietnamese marine systems have been in a high danger, if theintegrated management of environmental resources agencies do notconsider the health of marine ecosystems in a unified and comprehensiveway.
OHI index will be applied for 28 coastal provinces
Decision N°1670/QD-TTg dated September 6, 2013 of the Prime Ministerapproving the strategy of the sustainable exploration and use of naturalresources and protection of the marine environment by 2020 and visionto 2030 has identified the goal to better understand the sea, thepotential advantages as well as negative impacts from sea.
On the one hand, it promotes the exploitation and use of marinenatural resources in a sustainable way, preserves quality of sea water.On the other hand, it maintains the ecological functions and biologicalproductivity of marine ecosystems contributing to the successfulimplementation of Vietnam Marine Strategy to 2020 and the goal ofsustainable development.
To assess the level ofsustainable marine development and help control integrated management ofenvironmental resources in Vietnam’s sea, Dr Du Van Toan suggested thatVietnam should apply OHI tools in assessing 28 coastal areas.
Therefore, Vietnam should study and build up scientific criteria,goals, database to apply OHI. To do this, every year, Vietnam willannounce OHI index and 10 indicators of biodiversity and fisheries.
It is the only way that will help Vietnam control the health of marineecosystems scientifically and propose measures to protect marineecosystems before the risk of recession.-VNA
