At Wong Amat, small
fishermen, for whom fishing is their major source of income, are being
pushed out by larger commercial boats.
Warunya Thongrod
The traditional way of life for Naklua’s small
fishermen is in danger of disappearing after large fishing companies
moved into the area, pushing independent boats further offshore to
less-fertile seas.
The corporate fishing vessels have set up base on
Wong Amat Beach at Naklua Soi 19. That traditionally has been home port
for about 30 small fishing boats which worked closed to shore, catching
fish and crabs. But now, the small fishermen say, large boats are
trawling the area with big nets, damaging coral reefs, squeezing out
small boats and destroying marine breeding grounds.
“Before the big boats dropped their seines, fishermen
like myself had to go just a mile offshore to catch fish. But now we
have to go near Koh Larn three miles offshore,” said 42-year-old Sombut
Samosorn. He said the trips are less profitable due to higher fuel and
food costs.
“I and others have tried to negotiate with the large
companies, but there has been no change. I even informed the Banglamung
Fishing Office, but no help has been offered.”
Fisherman Prasert Ken-aash, 32, said he used to
easily pull squid, crabs, cichilidae, shortjawed barracuda, and thread
fin fish from the local waters. “But since the big boats came in, the
small fish, which are prey for the big fish, have disappeared.”
He noted that Pattaya City Hall has worked to build
the local fish population with artificial reefs but, at the same time,
has not regulated fishing in the area. He urged officials to prohibit
large boats from fishing so close to shore.
In addition, the Wong Amat fishing community wants
the city to promote crab breeding and continue to lay artificial reefs
to not only protect the marine ecosystem, but a way of life in Naklua.
