A concrete structure is placed onto the sea off Ca Mau province to accommodate marine species. (Source: VNA)

From 2019 to 2021, with support from the Thai Government, Ca Mau placed 500 concrete blocks to its western sea area to accommodate marine species. Following initial successes, it added another 400 structures to the sea under a programme on fishery resources protection and development.

Nguyen Viet Trieu, deputy head of the province’s sub-department for fisheries, said the work has created living and breeding sites for marine animals and helped them avoid destructive fishing methods, thus contributing to fishery resources recovery.

A survey of the 1.88 sq.km area where the 900 blocks are placed shows that the inshore maritime ecosystem, including small fish and the species with high economic or biotope values, has been protected from negative impacts of some fishing activit.

Another important result is the improved environment in this area and its vicinity, he said, elaborating that there are now 97 commercial species, including 62 fish, 15 crustacean, and 20 mollusc species, up from only 40 commercial species (25 fish, eight crustacean, and seven mollusk ones) before the reefs were put.

Surveys conducted before and after the placement also indicated a considerable improvement in local fishermen’s income. The average catch and profit from gillnetting have increased by 15.4% and 6.5 million VND (277 USD) each trip. Meanwhile, the catch from fish traps rose 27.4% and from squid fishing 16.1% each trip.

Besides, the presence of predatory fish such as cobia, mackerel, doublespotted queenfish, and barracuda also proves the recovery of the natural food chain in this area, Trieu went on.

The placement of man-made reefs has also helped provide more livelihoods for local residents, he noted, adding that new jobs have been created such as supplying diving and recreational fishing services while public awareness of fishery resources protection improved

Chau Cong Bang, Deputy Director of the Ca Mau Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said such results give the province a basis to expand the existing area of artificial reefs and apply the model to other zones with similar conditions. The move promises high effectiveness in conserving fishery resources and developing the sector sustainably.