NarinjaraNews, January 25,  2023

Nantha Island, an international level Ramsar wetland site inthe Mayu delta, has been designated as the country's Marine National Park,but the lack of maintenance by the Military  Council government departments has reportedlycaused concern for the marine life and rare bird species that live on and around the island.

Nantha Island is the second largest wintering site for thecritically endangered Spoon-billed Sandpiperin the world, with a rich ecosystem and abundant food for animals. Alsoincluding migratory species andnative birds such as Great Knot and Nordmann Greenshank, along with sea turtles, Arakan dolphins andaquatic animals are said to come to graze.

Ko Yan Naung Soe, president of Rakhine State Biodiversityand Nature Conservation Association,said, "Currently, rare bird species and sea turtles that visit the islandfor the winter are dying every daydue to bird hunting and netting in the Nantha Island area, and there are alsolosses of coral reefs and island areas due to heavy machinery ships and sandmining."

He also said that since there are mangrove forests on theisland, it is necessary to preserve them sothat there is no logging, and a wetland area should be protected from beingdamaged.

"There is no organization to deal with theseeffectively and take legal action to protect them. If this is the case, this island may be destroyed," he said.

Located in the Mayu delta between Sittwe township andRathedaung township, Rakhine State, it hasbeen designated as a Marine National Park for almost a year, but Nantha Islandhas not been preserved, Ko Yan Naung Soe said.

"Actually, once the government has officiallydesignated a Marine National Park, they have become responsible. The Department of Environment and Wildlife Conservationhas the main responsibility. They have to issue instructions and go to thefield. They have to set up boundaries andput up pillars. There are many processes like that. Once they have beendesignated, they have theresponsibility to do it. But until now, they have not done anything. We aredoing as much as we can," he said.

About this matter, Sittwe Township Forest Departmentofficial U Than Min Aye was contacted byNarinjara News and said that they are planning to start demarcation.

"Now, the park administrators have not been appointedyet. However, we are preparing to carry outboundary works to finalize Nantha Island as a National Park. Some places areincluded in the Nantha Islandarea. Some places are not included. We are preparing to make these things known to the public. Also, we are preparingto carry out our processes on the border scale," he said.

The area of the Nantha island is 22,979 acres and it islocated in Rathedaung Township between theMayu delta and the Bay of Bengal, 10 miles northwest of Sittwe Township.

The Union Minister's Office of the Ministry of NaturalResources and Environmental Conservationannounced  on February 21, 2022 that Nantha Island has been designated as a Marine National Park.

In addition, Nantha Island is an island that has beendesignated on May 21, 2020 as a wetland conservationarea by the Ramsar Group, which is formed to preserve and protect wetlands fromall over the world, as it fulfills 6 wetland areas.