An Integrated Approach in Management of ‘Halong Bay – Cat Ba Limestone Island Marine Area’, Vietnam

Halong Bay and its adjacent Cat Ba and Long Chau archipelagos, recognized as a unique cluster of limestone islands with global heritage significance, face challenges due to administrative separation. Despite Halong Bay being designated a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site in 1994, the proposal for Cat Ba-Long Chau's inclusion was only submitted in 2014. The study highlights that while these areas share geological and ecological similarities, their divided governance presents unprecedented institutional hurdles for UNESCO recognition. However, an integrated management approach was adopted in 2015, designating the 'Halong Bay – Catba limestone island marine area' as an Ecologically and Biologically Significant Marine Area (EBSA). This decision underscores the potential for sustainable conservation-based economic development, benefiting not only the local regions but also Vietnam and global heritage preservation efforts.

Chu Hoi, N. (2019). An Integrated Approach in Management of ‘Halong Bay – Cat Ba Limestone Island Marine Area’, Vietnam. VNU Journal of Science: Policy and Management Studies. https://doi.org/10.25073/2588-1116/vnupam.4192