It is estimated that Vietnam gets $60 to 80 million from sea and coastal ecological systems per year, said the vice chief of the General Department of Sea and Islands of Vietnam Nguyen Chu Hoi.

According to scientists, around 11,000 species of creatures have been discovered in over 20 typical sea and coastal ecosystems in Vietnam. These species belong to six different sea-biodiversity regions, of which Mong Cai – Do Son, Hai Van – Dai Lanh and Dai Lanh – Vung Tau regions have higher biodiversity than others.

Of the 11,000 species, there are around 6000 species of sea-bed creatures; 2038 species of fish; 653 species of alga; 657 species of fauna ephemeron; 537 floral species; 225 species of sea shrimp; 14 species of seaweed; 15 species of sea snakes; 12 species of sea animals; 5 species of sea turtles and 43 species of water birds.

The Hon Mun – Khanh Hoa sea reserve in the central province of Khanh Hoa is the most important sea reserve in Vietnam. It is one of the three typical sea reserves in the world chosen for experimentally implementing sea biodiversity and fishery management.

This reserve has a total area of 16000 hectares, with nine islands in Nha Trang bay, 5300 residents living inside the reserve and 300,000 in the surrounding area.

The coral reefs here are made from over 340 species of hard coral from the total of 800 coral species in the world. This is one of the areas with the highest biodiversity in Vietnam.

This reserve also has four species of seaweed, three species of floral species of seaweed, three species of floral salt-marsh species, 124 spineless species, 46 species of sea worms, 69 species of crustaceans and 169 species of coral.

VietNamNet/TTXVN