PML welcomes the enhanced role of Vietnam's Da Nang city in the sustainable development of the East Asian Seas region

2 December 2021

Plymouth Marine Laboratory (PML) has a long-standing relationship with PEMSEA (Partnerships in Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia), as a PEMSEA partnership council member, and with Da Nang itself, having worked closely with the major port city on sustainable approaches to coastal management, in support of key sectors such as fisheries, aquaculture and tourism.

Da Nang was inducted to the PNLG as one of its founding members in 2006. The PEMSEA-supported Integrated Coastal Management (ICM) programme has been implemented in Da Nang since the early 2000s, through which significant steps have been taken to improve the management of the City’s marine environment and natural resources.

PML has had a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Da Nang Department of Environment and Natural Resources since 2019, for the purpose of delivering the ‘Addressing Challenges of Coastal Communities through Ocean Research for Developing Economies’ (ACCORD) project. Designed to increase the understanding of the mechanisms and processes that determine the potential sensitivity or resilience of marine ecosystems, a key output from the ODA-funded ACCORD project has been the creation of a high resolution coastal ecosystem model for the Danang area.

The election of Dr. Le Quang Nam - which took place at the PNLG’s 2021 Annual Forum, attended by 52 government representatives from 10 partner countries - is being heralded as an opportunity for Da Nang to further enhance its role in the sustainable development of the region and strengthen international cooperation for improved marine resource management.

Dr. Le at the PNLG’s 2021 Annual Forum

Speaking at the inauguration, Dr. Le affirmed that, over the next three years, he and Mr. Ahmed Zaki Iskandar – the New Vice President of the PNLG – would continue to focus on the successful implementation of integrated coastal management, including the development of new partnerships.

Dr. Le said, “Let us continue to position the PNLG as an essential platform for good governance by participating actively in the annual forum and share the good practices, lessons learned and facilitate peer learning on ICM implementation.”

Responding to his appointment, PML Chief Executive Icarus Allen said,
“We are very proud to support the ongoing work of PEMSEA and the PNLG, and are delighted that Dr Le and Da Nang City have been formally recognised for the efforts being made to improve the management of the region’s coastal environment and marine resources. A major harbour city and the largest urban centre in central Vietnam, Da Nang has experienced rapid growth in recent years and this brings challenges in terms of the effects on marine ecosystems. We are fully supportive of projects and initiatives to ensure a sustainable future for the region and look forward to further partnership working with the network”.