Coastal areas in Thuan Quy commune exist mollusk resources with many species such as oysters (Anadara antiquata), silk Clam (Metric lyrata), brown clam (Modiolus philippinus), many type of snail ... in which oysters (Anadara antiquata) is high proportion that bring significant income to local fishermen. However, in recent years, over exploitation, poor resources management causes serious decline in oysters and it is no longer able to restore. As a result, main income of fishermen has lost. The "vicious circle? that fishermen facing is low-income, poverty that leads to overfishing and cause resource reduction, it results income decrease. This interaction leads to consequences that poverty has not been solved yet, the natural resource depletion and increase in community competitiveness of the living way. Therefore, the balance between immediate needs and future benefit is necessary. Reserves and reproducibility of fishery resources should be concerned. Biological diversity conservation tends towards expansion and growth of fisheries, and related economic activities in coastal area in the future.
The selection of oysters is the main object of the project besides the reason that this resource allocates in Thuan Quy Sea and being severely reduced. Besides ensuring stable livelihoods for fishermen, it also has the other advantages to the environment, resources, and marine ecosystems. For example, making mark by death trees that will attracts resources to resident, reproduction (enabling fishermen to fish, increasing income), the destructive jobs like net drawing,... will decrease leading to the recovery of other resources such as pelagic fishes, squid, ...
With this background and problems mentioned, the project aims to Contribute to restore, manage and organize the sustainable exploitation of natural oyster resources, environmental protection and coastal ecosystems Thuan Quy commune through co-management between fishing communities and the stakeholders. Ensure distribution harmony between the interests of users, improving incomes and livelihoods of fishermen through livelihood models. Enhance the value of resource using. Create demonstration model and gradually expanded to other locations in the province, specifically:
(i) To raise awareness and capacity of communities in managing, protecting, restoring oyster resources, marine environment
(ii) Developing a pilot model of co-management between fishing communities and stakeholders to promote the role of community participating in the protecting, restoring, managing and exploiting efficiently the oyster resources
(iii) Effectiveness assessment and replication achieved results of model

Main activities:
? Advocacy, capacity-building and awareness-raising activities: Organize the project opening ceremony, distribute leaflets, organize advocacy/training courses, advocate through the commune radio channel, newspapers, magazines and documentaries, design and install posters, etc.;
? Establish the mechanism and policy; organize consultation sessions with the community and relevant stakeholders; seek approval from the Provincial People?s Committee and carry out implementation;
? Establish and operate community groups to manage, protect and exploit effectively resources and the coastal ecosystems;
? Community guidance: Patrol, track and monitor to timely detect and handle cases of violation with support from the authorities. Zone waters, add oysters breed into the water, monitor and periodically collect samples of the environmental resources, organize exploitation activities, etc.;
? Establish and implement the Community Rotating Credit Fund for fishermen to carry out livelihood activities and improve income; and
? Summarize the development and implementation of the Co-management model. Build, disseminate and share lessons learnt.

Expected results:
? The fishermen?s awareness and understanding was enhanced on protecting the fisheries resources, the environment, and marine ecosystems; improved skills in safety and hygiene of harvesting areas; troubleshooting skills in exploiting diving businesses. Improved awareness, understanding and enforcement capacity of the fishermen and relevant stakeholders on co-management mechanisms;
? The decision of the Provincial People?s Committee to delegate the management and exploitation of fishery resources to the community was approved and implemented. The Community Management Board was established and actively contributed to the protection and restoration of oyster resources;
? Income from other supplementary livelihood activities reached more than VND 200,000/person/day. Income level of local people from the exploitation of oysters reached VND 30-40 million/fishermen/season in the first harvesting season;
? The reserve of oyster resources in the project sea area was recovered to reach more than 2,000 tons. The output from oyster exploitation was stable, and price was increased by 5%; and
? The co-management process of oyster resources was documented and disseminated. Sustainability and replicability plan of the co-management model was established.