Ha Long Bay
672
Vietnam
N(iii)
The Committee recalled that the Bureau at its last session referred the consideration of this nomination pending the establishment of a legal framework, a revision of the boundaries of the proposed site and the initiation of a management programme. The Committee was satisfied to note that the Vietnamese authorities have revised the boundaries to nominate a smaller site which met natural heritage criterion (iii), introduced a reasonably satisfactory legislation and provided a boat and appointed a minimum number of staff to patrol the area.
The Committee therefore inscribed the site on the World Heritage List and recommended that the Vietnamese authorities cooperate with IUCN to:
a) review and further strengthen the legislation and its applicability to the protection of the site;
b) initiate processes to prepare a management plan, which will define, amongst others, objectives and a zoning scheme;
c) implement management activities such as purchase of basic equipment and appointing more staff to strengthen management of the site and,
d) conduct surveys to monitor the growing number of tourists visiting the area and plan regulatory measures.