National report of preliminary investigation to estimate the abandon, lost, and discard gillnet and trap (pots) along the coast of Thailand (Phang Nga and Krabi province)

Abandoned, Lost, or otherwise Discarded Fishing Gear (ALDFG) is widely recognized as a significant component of marine litter and has serious impacts on habitats, fish stocks, and other marine species. The Southeast Asian regional concern on marine debris including ALDFG has been raised in SEAFDEC Meetings. Therefore, SEAFDEC Training Department conducted a preliminary investigation to estimate the loss of gillnet and traps (pots) along the Coast of Thailand with support from FAO. One hundred and sixty (160) questionnaires were collected from 3 surveys conducted in Phang Nga and Krabi Province, Andaman Sea, Thailand. Results show that the estimated total trap loss is 5,154 traps/year with an associated economic loss of 64,805.08 USD/year. The estimated loss of gillnets is 458.50 units/year with an estimated associated economic loss of 13,467.14 USD/year. The main cause of the gillnet loss is nets becoming snagged on an obstruction, and the main cause of the trap (pot) loss is conflict with other gears. Researchers recommend expanding the survey to all coastal provinces of Thailand, both in the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman Sea, and applying it to both small-scale and commercial-scale fisheries. The result could provide guidance for the development of management actions to reduce levels of ALDFG in the future

The Survey of Fish Enhancing Devices (FEDs) at the Coastal Areas of Thailand

Coastal waters of Southeast Asia are blessed with high productivity of fisheries resources because of rich ecosystems such as dense mangrove forests and sea grass beds, as well as extensive coral reefs with clean tropical sea environment. These areas are critical to a broad range of aquatic organisms during their life cycle from breeding, spawning, nursing and growing, hosting the feeding zones of aquatic species that are economically important, and serving as important source of recruitment of a wide diversity of fishery resources. However, commercially important fishery resources in the region have declined due to many factors that include overfishing, illegal fishing, use of destructive fishing practices, and environmental degradation. The artificial reef has been the significant tool for fishing ground development and increasing fisheries production of the small scale fisheries. However, regarding the cost of artificial reef installation has high investment and managed by government agencies. Fishers only involve in the identification of fishing ground. The fishers' ownership on fishing ground could not be generated as well as management through community approaches has not been able to promote effectively. One of the SEAFDEC’s missions is to seek for the appropriate tools to enhance coastal fishery resources together with awareness building on the community management as well as promoting a shifting of resources user to be resource manager through the installation of Fish Aggregating Devices (FADs) that costs cheaper investment than artificial reef. SEAFDEC has promoted the new design of Fish Enhancing Device (FEDs) since year 2009 and Thailand was reported as the first to introduce the use of FEDs. Until now, the utilization of FEDs in Thailand has widely spread throughout the coastal province of Thailand and is used in various designs. In order to update the information on the structure and design of FEDs and to seek for the significant factors of FEDs construction and design that different between local and fishing ground. Thus, SEAFDEC/TD in cooperation with Department of Fisheries, Thailand conducte

Environmental Survey Studies on Artificial Reefs in Rayong Province, Thailand: Technical Assistance in a Pilot Site for Suitable Designs of Resource Enhancement Practices

The series of environmental survey studies on artificial reefs carried out in Rayong Province, Thailand by SEAFDEC Training Department was part of the pilot project and capacity building on rehabilitation of fisheries resources and habitats and fishing grounds implemented during 2010 to 2014. Selected onsite study and evaluation of enhancement practices including impacts of artificial reefs to fisheries resources and environment were conducted in order to provide technical assistance to the Member Countries in their efforts to identify pilot project sites and capacity building activities on rehabilitation of fishery resources and habitats/fishing grounds. The survey studies were carried out based on fishing gear used in order to determine the species composition and abundance, while underwater observation was carried out to inspect the conditions of the artificial reefs 'Rayong No. 2' installed at the eastern part of Samed Island, Rayong Province in December 2009 by the Department of Fisheries (DOF) of Thailand. The G-18 position of the artificial reefs (Lat. N 12 degree 31.085, Long. E 101 degree 30.830), was selected and referred to as a major site for the study as it comprised large amount of concrete block ARs (35 pieces of ARs 1.5 m super(3)) and probably has the most abundant species diversity in the ARs area. The fishing gears and equipment used for the species composition survey were fish trap, bottom gill-net, hand line, juvenile fish trap, Smith-McIntyre grab, and underwater observation. Results of the survey from fish trap operation before the ARs installation (February - March 2009) indicated the abundance of 18 fish species, and total catch was 52,658 g inside the ARs area. The major species caught were Lutjanus vitta, Diagramma pictum, Scolopsis monogramma and Monacanthus chinensis at 1863.3, 1520.8, 348.3, and 162.5 g/trap/time, respectively. Meanwhile, one year after ARs installation (March 2011), the fish trap operation indicated 12 fish species were found inside ARs area, and total catch was 22,520 g. The major species caught were Siganus javas, Lutjanus lyjanus, Lutjanus russelli, Siganus canaliculatus and Diagramma pictum at 202.5, 1360.0, 500.0, and 500.0 g/trap/time, respectively. Results from fish trap operations showed that the number of species and amount of catch decreased one year after ARs installation. Results from benthos survey in August 2011 showed that there were 26 species of macro benthos found around the G-18 ARs position. There were 531 individuals found at the distance of 50 m to the west (W-50) yet in the most concentrated position there were 8 species. The major species found belong to Family Capitellidae, Family Pectinariidae and Family Maldanidae. Results of benthos survey in October 2012 found that there were 31 species around the G-18 ARs position, where 968 individuals were found at the distance 50 m to the south (S-50) yet the most concentrated position there were 10 species. The major species found belong to Family Capetellidae, Family Nereididae, Family Onuphidae, and Family Maldanida. Results from interview with local fishers around Ban Phe Bay indicated that the major fishing gear used were fish trap, squid trap, bottom gill-net, hand line, and towing-line. Most of the fishers occasionally operated their fishing gear around ARs because the abundance of fish was not rich. The accident where about 50,000 liters of crude oil leaked from the PTT Global Chemical pipeline around 20 km off the coast of Rayong on 27 July 2013 had caused massive impact to the environmental condition and ARs around Ban Phe Bay. This accident led to severe reduction of the fishery resources around Rayong Bay for a year. However, the results from a study on water circulation around Rayong Bay and Samed Island during September 2013 showed that water circulation around ARs area was less due to a blockage along the shore where tidal current flow eastward Samed Island. Less current which flowed through the ARs structures could be the cause of less biological growth in the ARs areas

Resources Conservation and Enhancement in Nam Houm Reservoir, Lao PDR

In 2010, the Training Department of the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center (SEAFDEC/TD) in cooperation with Department of Fisheries of Thailand and Department of Livestock and Fisheries of Lao PDR embarked on a five-year project on Rehabilitation of Fisheries Resources and Habitat/Fishing Grounds for Resources Enhancement funded by Japanese Trust Fund 5 (JTF-5). The selected project pilot site was Nam Houm Reservoir in Lao PDR. Mainly used support agriculture, Nam Houm Reservoir has water serving capacity of 60 million m3 in wet season. The total population from four villages near the Reservoir is 3,300 and as reported there are 36 species of fish in Nam Houm Reservoir. The main valuable and market species are tilapia Oreochromis niloticus, featherback fish Notopterus notopterus, and common silver barb Barbonymus gonionotus (Bleeker, 1849). The Project carried out various activities including improvement of fisheries information and data collection, promotion of sustainable fisheries and the concept of community-based and co-management in inland fisheries, strengthening of critical habitat protection measures by installing 50 pieces of highly effective fish shelter with fishing gear prevention tools in the conservation area to protect broodstocks from illegal fishers, technology transfer of mobile hatchery to the fishers group at Nam Houm Reservoir, as well as promotion of breeding techniques for common silver barb by injecting hormones to broodstocks and juvenile fish releasing techniques. All activities were successfully undertaken with the cooperation of Nam Houm Reservoir Fishery Management Committee (RFMR) and local fishers. The Project also demonstrated a good practice of comanagement between local people and government in the inland fishery sector. Moreover, the technical knowledge and techniques from the team of experts had been transferred to local officers and local people during the Project period. Now, the local people can apply and develop more techniques appropriate for reservoir fisheries in the country to achieve the goal of sustainable inland fisheries management in the future

Habitat Conservation and Resources Enchancement in Seagrass Beds in Sriboya Island, Krabi Province, Thailand

The project on 'Rehabilitation of Fisheries Resources and Habitat/Fishing Grounds through Resources Enhancement', has been undertaken by Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center/Training Department (SEAFDEC/TD) since 2010 to identify appropriate resource enhancement tools, develop strategies and guidelines for resources enhancement for various types of aquatic habitats, and support capacity building for the ASEAN Member States in the implementation of their respective resource enhancement programs. The activities pursued with local communities in sites selected as critical fishing grounds in marine habitats, included conservation and rehabilitation measures that had been conducted. A deteriorated seagrass bed area in Sriboya Island, Krabi Province, Thailand was selected as one of the pilot sites to mitigate the depleted stocks of a species of an edible sea snail, the dog conch (Strombus canarium) which is commonly harvested by fishers and local communities by hand and/or labor-saving equipment as motorized boats, dredges and diving with air pump supply. However, such massive collection methods of harvesting easily led to drastic degradation of the seagrass bed habitats as well as deterioration of the dog conch population. TD therefore promoted the conservation and optimum utilization of dog conch through public awareness activities. The workshops on Andaman Sea Province Dog Conch Shell Resource Management Measures on August 2013 and 2014 in Krabi Province, Thailand, which was participated in by local stakeholders in Krabi and nearby provinces, led to an agreement and subsequent implementation of several management schemes, such as restrictions on dog conch harvestable size (<6 cm) and types of fishing gear (dredges), as well as banning the use of motorized boats. Furthermore, several types of media that support awareness building, such as posters, stickers, brochures and banners were produced and distributed to several provinces along the Andaman Sea coast. Through such activities, permanent dog conch conservation areas were established by local fishing communities at Sriboya Island in Krabi Province, and Muk Island in Trang Province. Demarcation of conservation areas at Sarai Island in Satun Province and some other areas had been proposed and under consideration by their respective local fishing community

CURRENT STATUS AND PROBLEMS OF THE CATCH STATISTICS ON ANGUILLID EEL FISHERY IN INDONESIA

To compensate the decline of the populations of temperate anguillid eels, tropical anguillid eels become getting attention of East Asian eel market in recent years. Many eel farms have been established in Java Island to culture tropical anguillid eels intending to export the products to East Asia. Since eel farming is reliant on wild-caught anguillid eels such as glass eels, elvers and yellow eels, these eel seeds have been captured in various places in Indonesia. However, it is still unknown that how much of tropical anguillid eels are caught as seeds for eel farming. This study showed two different patterns of the commodity chains of eel seeds from both Sukabumi Regency and Bengkulu Province to the eel farms in Java Island. Official catch statistics on anguillid eels found in both Sukabumi Regency and Bengkulu Province were also analyzed on their features and problems underlied. Considering the sustainable use of anguillid eel resources and critical stances on exploitation of eel seeds from all over the world, the Indonesian government should take an immediate action for developing the national catch statistics on anguillid eel fishery as soon as possible.

The Collaborative Research Survey on Marine Fisheries Resources and Marine Environment in the Gulf of Thailand Onboard M.V. SEAFDEC 2

The Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center (SEAFDEC) in collaboration withMember Countries, fisheries agencies, universities and institutions carried out the “Survey on Marine Fisheries Resources and Marine Environment in the Gulf of Thailand.” The overall objectives of this collaborative research survey were as follows: to support SEAFDEC Member Countries to conduct marine fisheries and environmental data and information collection using the research vessel, and to promote the offshore fishery resources exploration through the research and human resources capacity by utilization of SEAFDEC’s Training and Research Vessel, M.V.SEAFDEC 2. This collaborative research cruise survey started from 17 September to 18 October 2018, with 73 total number of survey stations (49 in Thailand and 24 in Cambodia). There were 43 research topics that had been proposed for this collaborative research survey. The major envisage outputs of the survey were the following: 1. Baseline data on marine fishery resources and marine environmental situation for scientific reference as well as the status of marine fishery resources in the Gulf of Thailand; 2. Increasing the number of experienced researchers on marine fishery resources and marine environment of SEAFDEC Member Countries; 3. Strengthening the network of fisheries and oceanography for scientist/researcher in Southeast Asia; and 4. Maximizing the efficiency and benefits of the SEAFDEC research vessel and research equipment to support on marine fishery resources and marine environmental survey of SEAFDEC Member Countries