Local fishermen are
experts in the ancient art of net repair.
Warunya Thongrod
Pattaya Bay’s woefully depleted marine ecosystem has gained an
unlikely ally, as a group of Naklua fishermen are repairing the damage
done by overfishing by using smaller boats and special nets.
The Naklua Small Fishing Boats group is comprised of about 25 local
captains who are hoping to save the waters inside Pattaya’s Near Islands
by moderating catches and building artificial reefs to replenish fish
and coral.
Sunya Phatsaena, a consultant to the group, said the fishermen have been
sticking to waters a kilometer or less off shore for two years, using
biodegradable nets with larger holes to catch only what they need. At
the same time, they’ve been working with the Department of Marine and
Coastal Resources to weave and deploy structures made of rope that can
be transformed by hardened coral into artificial reefs.
Members of the Naklua
Small Fishing Boats group are determined to continue preserving the
ecosystem in Naklua Bay.
Fisherman Sombun Jankua said the new nets are made of
bone byproducts and last only a year, compared with as many as six years
for synthetic nets. But when nets are lost, they don’t suffocate coral
reefs or entangle fish for long periods of time, as do the artificial
versions.
The problem, he said is that “most fishermen opt to use nets that offer
the most convenience and return on investment.”
The idea behind the special nets and cages is to catch only larger fish,
allowing juvenile creatures to escape, mature and breed.
Twenty fishermen against an entire Thai industry devoted to strip-mining
coastal waters is a daunting challenge, however. Even as Naklua’s
“green” anglers work to preserve the ecosystem - and their traditional
livelihoods - large corporate-owned boats using dense nets continue to
violate marine laws by trawling inside the 1 kilometer zone. Their nets
catch everything, young or old, in their wake and rip across coral reefs
with tragic consequences.
A fisherman removes crabs
from his net after catching them in Naklua Bay.
The fishermen also complain about pollution,
particular that streaming from Laem Chabang Port and nearby industrial
complexes. Fisherman Banthit Jai-aaree also noted eco-conscious anglers
face challenges from boats filled with illegal aliens, politically
connected fishing operators who can trawl in protected waters or use
illegal nets without fear of the law, and non-Pattaya residents poaching
crabs.
“The group is absolutely concerned. We have put up signs indicating the
area as a protected zone, but there are still trespassers,” Banthit
said. “The government has tried to preserve crabs species by breeding
and releasing them into the sea. I believe that if citizens do not
realize the importance of small crabs and continue to catch them there
will be no crabs in Naklua waters in the future.”
Fishermen return from the
sea.
There are positive signs, however, such as the
government’s decision to sink three retired navy ships off Koh Larn, Koh
Sak and Koh Phai to become artificial reefs. The 9-year-old Khram wreck
on the far islands and 6-year-old Kut wreck off Koh Sak, in particular,
have grown into thriving marine habitats, although the more-remote Khram
wreck is often victimized by illegal fishing.
Sunya said the effects of the shipwreck reefs have been felt in Naklua
Bay, which has seen a return of snapper, grouper and crabs.
He said the fish, and small catches, don’t bring the fishermen large
bounties at markets, but the fact that they can continue to fish for
years into the future is reassuring.
In addition, he said, fishermen have found new income from eco-tourists
and amateur anglers who want to go out on the water.
