VIETNAMESE government officials visited Weymouth's Fleet Nature Reserve to find out the right way to manage marine environments.

The men and women from Vietnam's Ministries of Finance, Planning and Development, Agriculture and Fisheries spent the afternoon viewing the reserve from the glass-bottomed boat Fleet Observer.

Their visit was part of a whistle-stop tour of protected marine sites. They had already visited Italy and were off to Denmark next in an effort to progress similar schemes back home.

Following the trip the nine-strong party visited the Chesil Beach Centre where they studied techniques used to look after the reserve, including the use of live underwater camera images.

Reserve warden Don Moxom said: "We were delighted to host a group of Vietnamese government officials on a fact finding tour of marine nature reserves in England. The group has been charged with furthering the management of Vietnam's 15 marine protected areas.

"They were particularly interested in seeing how marine nature reserves in England integrated with commercial and recreational users and local

communities, policies, strategies and the concept of partnerships.

"The party was guided around the Fleet Lagoon by Fleet Observer skipper Roger Quigley who answered numerous questions on how the boat was run, staffed and financed, and what sort of customers it attracted. Apparently two similar boats have just been purchased for one of their country's marine protected areas."

The Fleet lagoon is the largest saline lagoon in the UK and one of North Western Europe's most important marine nature reserves. It is home to a range of rare marine and animal species including little terns.

Because of its importance it is protected through a number of designations. It is a grade one star Site of Special Scientific Interest, an Special Area of Conservation and an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

The tidal lagoon is also designated a European Special Protection Area.

The Fleet was formed about 5,000 years ago. As the sea rose to its final level at the end of the last ice age, water seeped over the low lying land to the east of Portland and flooded along behind Chesil Bank.