Diver shares photos of coral, marine life strangled by fishing nets in national park

[webfact]

Facebook/Tat Kewngaam

 

By Peter Roche

A diver has shared photos of what he describes as “horrific” sights of coral and marine life being strangled by discarded fishing nets in a marine park. Tat Kewngaam took the photos while diving off the coast of Koh Kradan, in the southern Trang province.

 

The island is 2.4 square kilometre and very popular with snorkelers and divers due to its beautiful beaches, clear waters, and plentiful coral. Most of the island is part of the Hat Chao Mai National Park.

 

Tat has shared his photos on Facebook, urging park officials to do something. The park chief of has responded and promised to take action, thanking the diver for bringing the matter to his attention.

 

Facebook/Tat Kewngaam

 

Parit Narasaritkul added that officials had been sent to check the area, as he pledged to introduce tighter restrictions aimed at preventing fishing boats from using nets in the area.

 

“We will take legal action against any boats caught violating the law. The park thanks all tourists and locals who have been our eyes and ears in the mission to preserve marine resources for the future generation.”

 

According to a Nation Thailand report, Tat points out that the photos were taken not far from the head office of Hat Chao Mai National Park. He is calling on officials to take urgent action to prevent more damage to the coral reefs, saying this was not the first time he’s seen such destruction while diving in the Andaman Sea.

 

“I have nothing against fishermen, but please check if your actions are affecting others.”

 

Source: https://phuket-go.com/phuket-news/islands/diver-shares-photos-of-coral-marine-life-strangled-by-fishing-nets-in-national-park/

 

-- © Copyright Phuket GO 2023-01-31

 

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[hotchilli]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

The park chief of has responded and promised to take action, thanking the diver for bringing the matter to his attention

Social media to the rescue again.

[BritScot]

Saw lots of this in the gulf of Thailand (nearly every dive site had discarded fishing nets of some kind). Don't get me started on long tails and boats dropping their anchors on choral beds and driving their boats over clearly marked dive groups on marked dive sites. Maybe it's all better now!!!@@?

[Tropposurfer]

16 hours ago, BritScot said:

Saw lots of this in the gulf of Thailand (nearly every dive site had discarded fishing nets of some kind). Don't get me started on long tails and boats dropping their anchors on choral beds and driving their boats over clearly marked dive groups on marked dive sites. Maybe it's all better now!!!@@?

Yeah the awareness, care and compliance with the very poor regulations for coral life her is a total shower aint it?! The National Parks people and government ... have no idea at all it seems.

Dive sights and island parks Like James Bond Island etc needed to have very carefully placed permanent moorings away and off the reef itself with floating mooring lines strung out for the tourist boats to tie too and then small Rubber Duckies with water jet engines to ferry to beaches with designated lanes for the to and fro traffic, no props anywhere near the coral decades ago like they did on the Great Barrier reef to stop hull, anchor, and motor damage.

The ban on the sale of those types of sunscreen products that are damaging also needs to be put in place.

The boat behaviour and littering I saw pre covid in the Similan's was truly appalling and sadly seemed to be done by the large Asian contingent flocking there when we first visited.

N.B. No quota to slow the damage we all did to the eco system there at all!

The huge twin and triple engined outboard powerboats coming directly onto the beach and churning the shallow waters up all day every day was equally horrifying.

The upsurge in recreational fishing in my home country has exponentially increased the fishing tackle dangers in the waters of Australia.

Maybe we can begin an expat initiative as a collective of divers to clear waters all around Thailand as a regular systemised endeavour ... ala 'Clean Up Australia' ??

https://www.cleanupaustraliaday.org.au/

 

It was a joy amidst all the sadness and horrors of Covid period for the sea here on the island.

Water teaming with schools of fish, seaweed and coral growing anew ... which I had never seen before in the swimming and snorkelling I do here. Stingrays, and turtles swimming and nesting on the beaches.