Krabi residents agree with closure of Maya Bay to rehabilitate coral

[webfact]

Krabi residents agree with closure of Maya Bay to rehabilitate coral

By The Nation

 

File photo: Maya Bay

 

An initial survey by a leading marine scientist found that most residents supported the closure of the popular Maya Bay in Krabi after more than 80 per cent of coral reefs in the area were damaged.

 

Thon Thamrongnawasawat, deputy dean of the Fishery Faculty at Kasetsart University, said his team was compiling results from an opinion survey of more than 300 local people and tourism operators in Krabi.

 

 

He said most people agreed with the proposal to close Maya Bay to tourism from June to October to allow nature to heal itself.

 

The official results of the survey will be sent to the National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department to back the proposal to temporarily close the bay to tourism.

 

 

Thon was speaking to reporters as his team and officials from Haad Nopparat Thara Mu Koh Phi Phi National Park were surveying Maya and Pileh bays.

 

He said the coral reefs at the two bays had suffered 80-per-cent mortality, apparently because more than 200 boats carrying about 4,000 tourists visit the two bays each day.

 

The massive number of tourists had contaminated the sea in the area with residues that covered corals, which killed them, Thon added.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/breakingnews/30340309

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-03-06

[RichardColeman]

17 hours ago, webfact said:

An initial survey by a leading marine scientist found that most residents supported the closure of the popular Maya Bay in Krabi after more than 80 per cent of coral reefs in the area were damaged.

Yes, great idea. Until it;s found that the other 20% have the power and influence and money in the area.