PATTAYA, Thailand – Pattaya City led by Deputy Mayor Wutthisak Rermkijakarn, joined the Chonburi Fisheries Association in releasing 480,000 juvenile shrimp into the sea off Pattaya Beach on July 23 as part of a conservation effort to restore coastal marine resources and strengthen the local ecosystem. The juvenile shrimp were supplied by the Sriracha Coastal Aquaculture Research and Development Center under Thailand’s Department of Fisheries and delivered through the Chonburi Fisheries Association.
Association representative Sompong Prathumthong said the shrimp had been raised at the hatchery until they reached the appropriate stage before being released into the wild to help replenish marine resources, improve biodiversity, and support sustainable fisheries. A total of 960,000 juvenile shrimp were released simultaneously at two locations, with 480,000 released in Chonburi Province and 480,000 off Pattaya. While the association’s president led the Chonburi release, representatives oversaw the Pattaya event.
The shrimp were bred at the Sriracha–Bang Phra Coastal Aquaculture Center, one of three Department of Fisheries hatcheries, alongside facilities in Bang Pakong and Rayong. Hatcheries notify the association when sufficient numbers are ready for release. The shrimp were released at the Post Larvae 3 (PL3) stage, approximately the size of a match head. Officials said growing them to a larger size would reduce the number that could be produced in each breeding cycle.
Authorities estimate that around 50 percent of the shrimp are expected to survive after release, depending on environmental conditions. Seagrass beds, mangrove areas, rocky shores, and coral reefs provide ideal habitats by offering shelter and natural food sources.
