On the morning of April 1^st, 2025, the Centre for Marinelife Conservation and Community Development (MCD), in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Khanh Hoa Province and local partners, organized the event titled “Launching Ceremony for Juvenile Release to Replenish Aquatic Resources – Joining Hands to Protect the Ocean and Build a Sustainable Future” in Khanh Hoa Province. The event is part of a series of outreach and awareness-raising activities aimed at promoting and enhancing the compliance with and enforcement of laws and regulations on aquatic resource protection (ARP), co-management (CM), and marine conservation (MC) in coastal areas of Khanh Hoa Province.

Prior to the event, the People’s Committee of Van Hung Commune conducted public radio broadcasts across the entire commune from March 24^th to April 2^nd, 2025. The broadcasts focused on disseminating relevant contents of laws and regulations on aquatic resource protection, environmental protection, co-management, and marine conservation, with the aim of raising awareness and encouraging full compliance and active participation from the community and relevant stakeholders.

The event took place at Hon Khoi Port, Ninh Hoa District, Khanh Hoa Province, with the participation of over 200 delegates from MCD. Khanh Hoa Department of Agriculture and Environment, Sub-Department of Fisheries, Seas and Islands of Khanh Hoa Province, Khanh Hoa Fisheries Association, People’s Committees of Van Ninh District and Van Hung Commune, local enterprises, the Co-Management Group of Van Hung Commune, and several local media outlets.

Photo: Overview of the launch ceremony at Hon Khoi Port

At the event, Mr. Nguyen Trong Chanh – Deputy Director of the Khanh Hoa Department of Agriculture and Environment – emphasized: “Aquatic resource restoration is not only about releasing juveniles; it requires the effort from the whole society to protect aquatic environments, strictly comply with fishing regulations, and limit—ultimately eliminate—destructive fishing practices. Every small action, such as not littering in rivers and the sea, using proper fishing gear, and participating in the monitoring and protection of natural fishery areas, plays a vital role in the conservation of aquatic resources.”

Photo: Mr. Nguyen Trong Chanh – Deputy Director of the Khanh Hoa Department of Agriculture and Environment spoke at the Launching Ceremony

As the supporting partner for organizing the event and having provided various practical assistance to aquatic resource protection in Khanh Hoa province in recent years, Ms. Nguyen Thi Thu Trang, Project Coordinator of MCD, shared: “I hope that through this event, the local fishing communities will strengthen their sense of responsibility in practicing sustainable fishing, complying with legal regulations, and actively participating in co-management models for aquatic resources at the local level. At the same time, with the release of aquatic juveniles into the Ran Trao co-management area—a site with a particularly important marine ecosystem—we are contributing to the restoration of aquatic resources and the protection of the ocean’s natural balance, while also helping to secure sustainable livelihoods for local people.”

Photo: Ms. Nguyen Thi Thu Trang, MCD officer stated at the Launching Ceremony

Immediately after the launching ceremony, the event participants traveled to the Ran Trao Marine Ecosystem Protection Area (Van Hung Commune, Van Ninh District) to release juveniles, including 10,000 fish (such as silver pomfret, grouper, green mussels, and milk oysters) and 10,000 seedlings of Cottonii seaweed.

Photo: Representatives of MCD and Khanh Hoa DAE presenting green mussel seedlings to improve livelihoods for the Co-Management Group of Van Hung Commune.

This activity was implemented within the framework of the Cooperation Plan for the period 2024-2025 between MCD and Khanh Hoa Department of Agriculture and Environment on “Technical support for promoting co-management and marine conservation practices in Vietnam and engaging in relevant regional collaboration”, which is a technical service contracted by Wild Earth Allies (WEA) to MCD.