Quang Ngai protects sargassum resources for ecosystem and sustainable livelihoods

Likened to "underwater forests," sargassum plays a vital role in maintaining the balance of coastal ecosystems. Sargassum beds serve as habitats, spawning grounds, and food sources for numerous economically valuable aquatic species, helping protect and regenerate natural aquatic resources. Beyond its ecological significance, sargassum also absorbs CO₂, improves water quality, and mitigates the impacts of waves and wind on coastal areas.

Quang Ngai is one of Viet Nam's localities with rich natural sargassum resources, widely distributed in the waters of the Ly Son Special Zone, Van Tuong commune, Dong Son commune, and several other coastal areas.

In recent years, sargassum has become an important source of income for many households due to its high economic value. It is purchased for processing into food products, medicinal materials, organic fertilizers, and industrial raw materials.

However, amid the risk of resource depletion caused by overharvesting and out-of-season collection, Quang Ngai province has implemented a range of management and conservation measures for sargassum, with a focus on communication to raise public awareness. Conserving sargassum not only helps preserve marine ecosystems but also lays the foundation for creating sustainable livelihoods for coastal communities, moving toward the long-term and effective development of the marine economy.

To highlight this effort, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) supported Binh Son's Farmers' Association to implement the "Protecting, exploiting and developing seaweed associated with sustainable livelihoods in coastal communes of Binh Son district, Quang Ngai province" project. 

Dong Son commune currently has nearly 190 hectares of sargassum, concentrated mainly in the waters of Chau Thuan Bien, Phu Quy, and An Hai villages. During the growing season, vast golden-brown sargassum meadows blanket the sea surface, creating a distinctive landscape that attracts both local residents and tourists for sightseeing and photography. However, alongside its tourism and economic value, sargassum faces the threat of illegal harvesting, as some individuals take advantage of the growth season to collect immature algae in violation of regulations.

To protect this resource, Dong Son commune established a Community Group for the Protection of Aquatic Resources, Sargassum, and Community-Based Tourism in late April. On May 20, the commune People’s Committee officially recognized its 13-member representative board. To date, the group has attracted 39 members and has become a core force in raising awareness and mobilizing local communities to protect sargassum and coastal aquatic resources.

According to Mr. Tran Chau Dung, Head of the Community Group's Representative Board, the group has established three patrol teams responsible for areas where sargassum is concentrated. Members conduct regular inspections day and night to promptly detect and prevent illegal harvesting activities and report violations to the authorities for further action when necessary. In addition, the group accelerates communication to ensure local residents understand the designated harvesting period and raise their awareness of protecting marine ecosystems.

According to Mr. Tieu Viet Tien, a resident of Phu Quy village, sargassum has provided a significant source of income for coastal households for many years. However, harvesting immature sargassum or collecting it outside the permitted season can reduce both yield and quality and affect the resource’s capacity for regeneration. For this reason, local residents consistently adhere to seasonal schedules and work together to protect sargassum resources, helping sustain long-term livelihoods and supporting the sustainable development of the marine economy.

The Ganh Yen area in Van Tuong commune is also recognized as one of Quang Ngai province’s most abundant natural habitats for sargassum. Annual sargassum production in the area is estimated at around 10,000 tons, generating billions of dong in revenue and serving as a vital source of livelihood for many coastal households. Beyond their economic value, sargassum beds serve as natural nurseries, providing habitat, spawning grounds, and developmental areas for numerous aquatic species.

However, uncontrolled harvesting in the past affected the resource's ability to recover. To protect and sustainably utilize this valuable resource, the locality established the Ganh Yen Coral Reef Protection Community Group, with voluntary participation from local residents. One of the group’s key tasks is to disseminate information and mobilize the community to strictly comply with regulations on sargassum conservation.

According to Mr. Vo Thanh Tung, Head of the Ganh Yen Coral Reef Protection Community Group, the period beginning in February each year is when efforts to protect sargassum need to be intensified. Based on agreements reached within the community, local residents are only allowed to harvest sargassum after June 1 to ensure that the algae have reached full maturity and accumulated sufficient biomass.

Compliance with the harvesting season not only improves the yield and quality of harvested sargassum but also allows many aquatic species to complete their reproductive cycles, thereby helping maintain marine ecosystems and secure long-term livelihoods for local communities.

To protect and regenerate natural aquatic resources while preventing destructive harvesting practices that threaten coastal marine ecosystems, the Van Tuong Commune People's Committee has directed relevant agencies and units to strengthen communication and mobilize residents to strictly comply with regulations on sargassum protection. Under these regulations, sargassum may only be harvested between June 1 and November 30 each year, and destructive harvesting methods are strictly prohibited.

Border guard forces, functional units, and community-based aquatic resource protection groups have been tasked with coordinating patrol and monitoring activities in coastal areas to promptly detect, prevent, and handle illegal harvesting, trading, and transportation of sargassum. These synchronous measures reflect the locality's determination to protect natural sargassum beds, contributing to the restoration of marine ecosystems, the conservation of aquatic resources, and the sustainable development of the marine economy.