With the efforts of fishing communities, local conservation groups, environmentalists, and civil society organizations, especially the Biodiversity and Nature Conservation Association (BANCA), the Gulf of Mottama Project in collaboration with the Ministry of Natural Resources Conservation (MoNRC) of the Mon State Government, the Gulf of Mottama was designated as the fourth Ramsar in 2017 in the wetland area of Kyaikhto and Bilin townships in Mon State, covering 42500 hectares. In the following years, other five townships in Bago Region and Mon State were extended with the total of 161,530 hectares. The Gulf of Mottama Ramsar site is the largest and most unique compared to other sites in Myanmar.
The Gulf of Mottama is one of the world’s largest areas of permanently muddy water, and sediment flows from four major rivers such as Ayeyarwady, Yangon, Sittaung, and Thanlwin. It is situated at the mouth of the Sittaung River, which divides the border area between Mon State in the east and Bago Region in the west. The Gulf of Mottama shares waterbodies and wetland areas with three sub-national governments, such as Yangon, Bago, and Mon State, which makes it most challenging to do resource governance and conservation efforts. An inter-governmental resource management body with strong and result oriented short-term and long-term policies will be required to manage the Gulf of Mottama's natural resources constantly and sustainably.
Currently, the Gulf of Mottama is under attack, and there is a sharp decline in fish stocks due to illegal fishing. According to the World Bank’s report, between 1979 and 2013, fish stocks declined by 90 percent. However, no reports on fish stock were published since then. Additionally, current deforestation upstream and the changing of the annual-flow water channel of the Sittuang River cause erosion on both sides of the riverbank and destroy thousands of acres of farmland annually.
In addition to sustainable manage the ecosystem services and sustainable natural resources in the Gulf of Mottama to contribute to the human well-being, civil society groups in cooperation with community along the coastal area are trying to form up the “Ecosystem Management Unit - EMU” in eight townships in Mon and Bago Region. The EMUs boundary was set up based on the consensus with respective stakeholders and local community.
Bilin’s EMU is located in the west of Bilin Township and comprised eight villages along the coastal area. The approximation of EMU boundary covered with a mix area of agricultural lands, mangrove forests, mudflats, and waterbodies. Fisher Development Association (FDA-Bilin) and Coastal Area Farmer Development Association (CFDA-Bilin) are local institutions that actively working on the area of biodiversity conservation, mangrove restoration, community awareness on fish captures, agriculture, and other livelihood opportunities for the coastal community in the area.
Village Inside Bilin’s EMU Bounday
- Mutin Village
- Zawe Ka Lar Village
- Pauk Taw Villave
- Kan Yawe Village
- Yawe Tan Shey Village
- Shan Chaung Village
- Aung Phay Village
- Kwun Thar Yar Village
Key Features
-
More information about Bilin’s EMU
Chaungzon’s EMU is located in the west of Chaungzon Township and comprised three villages along the coastal area. The approximation of EMU boundary covered with a mix area of agricultural lands, mangrove forests, mudflats, and waterbodies. According to research conducted by the Gulf of Mottama Project, marine mammal species can be found in this EMU’s boundary.
Villages Within EMU Boundary
- Salpalar Village
- Tawkamar Village
- Zekone Village
Key Features
Chaungzon’s EMU contains huge areas of mangrove forest along the coastline of Salpalar Village and Tawkamar Village. Zekone Village is well-known with beach, and it is potential for local tourist. Most of the communities in these villages are relied on fishery for their incomes. Dry shrimp and Bombay duck are their main products and domestically distribute to local markets including Yangon and international market especially Thailand.
More information about Chaungzon’s EMU
Paung’s EMU is located in the south-west of Paung Township and comprised eight villages along the coastal area. The approximation of EMU boundary covered with a mix area of agricultural lands, mangrove forests, mudflats, and waterbodies. Paung Local Conservation Group and Fisher Development Association (FDA-Paung) and Coastal Area Farmer Development Association (CFDA-Paung) are local institutions that actively working on the area of biodiversity conservation, community awareness on fish captures, agriculture, and other livelihood opportunities for coastal community in the area. These institutions work together in restoration of mangrove forest as it was annually affected by coastal erosion and flooding.
Village Within EMU Boundary
- Hlat Taung Village
- Hlat Nauk Village
- Khin Than Villave
- Zekone Village
- Baing Laung Village
- Kar Tae Village
- Sae Aeing Su Village
- Wae Patan Village
Key Features
Paung’s EMU contains huge areas of mangrove forest along the coastline of Kar Tae Village, Wae Patan, and Halat Nauk Village. The recently planted mangrove forest can be found in Khin Ten Village. The Community Mangrove Nursery Farm is run by the community and produces over 30000 nursery plants each year. Bird watching is another key feature of Paung’s EMU, especially in Halat Nauk Village. A large flock of shorebird species are able to find in the mudflat area during the low tide.
More information about Paung’s EMU
Thaton’s EMU is located in the west of Paung Township and comprised five villages along the coastal area. The approximation of EMU boundary covered with a mix area of agricultural lands, mangrove forests, mudflats, and waterbodies. Fisher Development Association (FDA-Thaton) and Coastal Area Farmer Development Association (CFDA-Thaton) are local institutions that actively working on the area of biodiversity conservation, mangrove restoration, community awareness on fish captures, agriculture, and other livelihood opportunities for the coastal community in the area.
Village Inside Thaton’s EMU
- Htain Pin Village
- Aung Kan Thar Village
- Thone Eain Su Village
- Zike Ka Yae Village
- Gyo Phyu Kone Village
Key Features of Thaton’s EMU
Thaton’s EMU contains a huge area of mangrove plantations on the Mud Crab Island near Aung Kan Thar Village and preservation of mangrove forest in Gyo Phyu Kone Village. Thaton’s EMU is part of Thaton’s Fishery Management Zone which was established by the Mon State Government in 2017. Mud Crab Island, formally known as Mud Crab Conservation Zone is also one of the conservation zones that was recognized by Mon State Government. However, this conservation zone is still under over exploitation of catching undersize mud crabs and lack of long-term policy and strategy framework by the local authority and state government. Currently, the substantial mudflat area bordering the mud crab conservation zone has been converted into agriculture land.
Since 2017, with the support from the Gulf of Mottama Project, the community started to plant mangroves on the mud crab island near Aung Kan Thar Village. In the following years, World View International Foundation started a new project to plan mangrove forest mud crab conservation zone and now more then three hundred thousands plants with variable species were planted.
More information about Thaton’s EMU
Kawa’s EMU was established on February 17, 2023, after consultation with village development committees from the local communities and respective stakeholders from the township-level Fisher Development Association (FDA-Kawa), and the Coastal Area Farmer Development Association (CFDA-Kawa) and Local Conservation Group (LCG-Kawa). Paung’s EMU boundary covered about 2,000 ha with a mix of agricultural lands, mangrove forests, mudflats, and waterbodies with fishing grounds.
Village Inside Kawa’s EMU
- Hlat Taung Village
- Hlat Nauk Village
- Khin Than Villave
- Zekone Village
- Baing Laung Village
- Kar Tae Village
- Sae Aeing Su Village
- Wae Patan Village
More information about Kawa’s EMU