Decree No. 109/2003/ND-CP on the conservation and sustainable development of submerged areas.

The Decree comprises 6 Chapters: I, General Provisions; II, Surveys and formulation of plannings on conservation and sustainable development of submerged areas; III, Conservation of submerged land; IV, Sustainable development of submerged areas; V, Commendation, reward and handling of violations; VI, Implementation Provisions. The Decree provides for the management, conservation and sustainable development of wetlands presenting characteristics of biodiversity and ecological features of high importance for the protection of water sources, ecological balance and national and international relevance. Zoning is the main aspect of the wetlands management, together with the preservation of ecosystems and habitats by means of survey, monitoring, planning,preventing waste pollution, conducting inventories and properly exploiting natural and touristic resources of the wetlands. The wetlands are defined as Ramsar Zones, according to the Ramsar Convention on Submerged areas of international importance, signed in Ramsar, Republic Of Iran, in 1971 to which Vietnam became a member as per the 20th of January 1989.