Northern Vietnam Coastal Environment Analysis and Observation Station’s activities and orientations for development

This is a leading station in the application of programme to ensure and control quality (QA/QC) in stations under the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology.

The station consists of eight groups of researchers in marine environmental chemistry, marine geo-environment, marine ecology and plant resources, marine phytoplankton and microorganism, marine ecology and animal resources, marine conservation, oceanography and meteorology. 

These research groups conducted professional activities from surveying, collecting samples at the field, conserving and conveying samples to laboratories, analyzing and observing according to professional research,  oil and heavy metal contamination, persistent organic pollutants (POPs); bottom animal resources, marine microorganism; and characteristics of pollutants in sediment. Results of the professional research were a foundation to make observation reports about sediment, biology and water environment components. Based on this, the northern coastal environment observation report will be done.

Analysing biology and environment chemistry, and collecting samples of sediment and phytoplankton

Since its establishment in 1994, the most important achievement of the northern Vietnam Coastal Environment Analysis and Observation Station is to build a set of observation data about the northern coastal environment. These data assist the control, management and protection of Vietnamese marine environment, follow and warn of environment quality concerns and problems in the region which had potential impacts on ecology and humans, contributing to assessing damage caused by environmental problems at sea such as oil spills, red tide, destructive fishing and the death of coral reefs.

Data and information provided by the station also meets the demand of investigating Vietnam’s marine environment in research by different sectors at all levels, proposals for recognition of marine reserves, marine biosphere reserves and world heritage listings. Many reports and observation results were published in the Works of the Marine Environment Resources, Marine Technology Science, Environment magazine and Toxic magazine so that the community can use this information for training and improving awareness, enhancing international sharing and integration.

In addition, the station has contributed to building observation processes and analysis for marine environment components in the “Analysis Handbook” and “Document on applying QA/QC”, and support to provide long-term and short-term training courses at centres, universities and institutes for researchers to improve professional skills.

Up to 2001, the station operated an automatic observation station on its surrounding atmospheric environment to meet the demand of keep track of basic meteorological elements and pollutants in the atmospheric environment of coastal region.

Now, the station continuously studies and researches the application of advanced and modern technology to develop observation parameters to international integration such as regional pollution, transboundary pollution by persistent organic pollutants, oil and the penetration of outside organisms.

Surveying groundwater ecology, measuring oceanography parameters, surveying aquacultural environment

In spite of initial remarkable results, the station needs to have breakthrough developments to meet new and complicated environmental issues such as keeping track of and supervising climate change, warning of radioactive leaks from nuclear power plants and observing transboundary environmental quality.

To obtain this goal, the station needs to have more investment and improve the quality of human resources and technical material facilities to serve professional work; complete system of vital documentation such as legal documents, technical instructions, technical standards systems, economic and technical norms, and unit price in environmental observation. This will contribute to strengthening the staff of the station.

Sound planning for development is a foundation for the station to further develop and affirm its position in international cooperation in coastal observation.

Translated by Tuyet Nhung
Link to Vietnamese Version