Ngo Gia Manh, a 20-year-old resident of Co To District in Quang Ninh Province, recently reported his sighting of a sea turtle while sailing off the island. The turtle is estimated to weigh nearly 20 kilograms and was seen hopping and swimming near Manh’s boat from a distance of 50 meters. This is the first sighting of a sea turtle in over 10 years in the area. The district previously released a 125-kilogram turtle into the ocean. In addition to the turtle sighting, a dolphin was also spotted in the waters off Co To Island in late 2022. These sightings are positive indicators of a healthier marine environment, which is attributed to the district’s efforts in beach clean-ups and reducing plastic waste. The presence of sea turtles and dolphins in the area is a good sign of the recovery of marine resources. The Co To coastal area is recognized by the government as a national marine reserve due to its rich diversity of sea creatures. Stay updated with the latest news about Vietnam by following us on Facebook or Twitter.
The fight against marine plastic debris
Vietnam is estimated to annually discharge between 0.28 and 0.73 million tons of plastic litter into the ocean, accounting for 6% of the world’s total. The country is among the four top marine polluters after China, Indonesia and the Philippines. Vietnam is taking drastic measures to stop this pollution, especially in the ocean. It has targeted to phase out single-use plastics by 2025.