Phuket Sea Gypsies Arrested For Cyanide Fishing

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Phuket sea gypsies arrested for cyanide fishing

Officials pose with the seized bags of fish on Sunday night. Photo by PGTV.

Some of the ten suspects, who have already been released on bail. Photo by PGTV.

RAWAI, PHUKET: Ten Rawai sea gypsies were arrested by Marine Police late Sunday night and charged with collecting protected species for the illicit trade in tropical fish.

The arrests were carried out by Phuket Marine Police and officials from the Phuket Marine and Coastal Resources Conservation Center (PMCRCC).

Under the direction of PMCRCC Director Paitoon Panchaipum, the officers intercepted two large longtail boats filled with protected marine species as they were coming ashore at Rawai’s Phromthep Cape.

Among the fishing ‘equipment’ collected as evidence in the case were bottles of cyanide.

One of the most toxic substances known to man, cyanide is used to temporarily stun fish so that they can be easily removed from the coral reefs they inhabit.

Cyanide fishing has been described by environmentalists as ‘an act of genocide’ against coral reef habitats due to the damage it inflicts.

A search of the vessels recovered more than 250 fish of various species in 200 plastic bags, all ready for transport. These included protected angelfish and butterflyfish species as well as a variety of shellfish, corals, sea fans and sea anemones.

Officials estimated the local value of the entire haul at about 200,000 baht locally, but with a value of up to one million baht on the global black market for aquarium fish.

It was impossible to financially assess the damage to the natural environment resulting from the cyanide, Mr Paitoon said.

Officials were alerted to the activity by unnamed ‘green volunteers’ who noticed the sea gypsies’ illegal activities, which officials presume to have been carried out near or inside Similan Marine National Park.

The sea gypsies would collect the fish from reefs for transport back to Phuket aboard two longtail boats, officials said.

Collected as evidence in the case were order lists and receipts, indicating that the suspects were working to fill orders placed by smugglers thought to be based in Bangkok, officials said.

After their arrests, the suspects were sent to Chalong Police Station for processing.

Under provisions of the Wildlife Conservation and Protection Act of 1992, the suspects face charges of possession of endangered marine life captured without permission from a restricted area.

They have already confessed to the charges and have been released on bail.

If convicted, they face prison terms of up to four years and/or a fine of up to 40,000 baht.

PMCRCC researcher Prajuab Mokarat said demand for aquarium fish continues to drive illegal fishing practices.

The center often receives reports of illegal fishing but finds it difficult to arrest the perpetrators because they employ several strategies, such as the use of decoy vessels, to deceive officials, he said.

The arrests were the latest blow to the Rawai sea gypsy community, which is embroiled in a land dispute with a local property owner who wants to evict them from part of the coastal land they claim to have inhabited for generations.

-- Phuket Gazette 2010-01-19

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[Steps]

Well done to the unnamed green volunteers. Now educate the sea gypsies as to why it is detrimental to their environment to use such practices and to fish for such species. Educate their kids because there the next generation. Show them other ways to earn a living that promotes their environment.

[ronz28]

Cyanide! Hang em high. Dirt bags.

[swifty5x5]

Hangin's to good fro um.

[phetaroi]

And not a totally new thing here. Around a decade ago during one visit some farmers were arrested for using cyanide as an insecticide on crops.

[moe666]

The hang um gang arrived quickly.

[aras]

The hang um gang arrived quickly.

Yeah, they should be banned from the forum, the annoying idiotes lol .

they will be released with a fine, the thai officials know how desperate people are to make ends meet and will do just about anything to make a living. What about the buyers in asia and europe? they never get caught

[canopy]

This is horrific and at the sime time the practice is likely widespread. Just one squirt of cyanide destroys about 1 square mile of coral. This goes some way to explain why Thailand has many dead areas and no good coral areas as far as I have seen.

[animatic]

Educate them and maybe even direct their desire to work

to some thing environmentally sustainable.

[Stephen Cleary]

Cyanide Fishing has been going on in the South of Thailand for decades. And it has not only been conducted by the Sea Gypsies (Chao Lae).

The Sea Gypsies are arguably Thailand's only, evidenced, indigenous, 'people'. A people who have been evicted from 'their' land, been disallowed Thai citizenship (even though they were born in Thailand); and so, had their children turned away from schools, denied access to near-free medical treatment. Then, in the meantime, the Phuket Tourism Board has been trying to turn 'their' communities into 'tourist attractions'.

Cyanide Fishing is masterminded by the 'big bosses' not the Chao Lae - give the Sea Gypsies a break and give them their Human Rights - they've been discriminated against for long enough.

[LomSak27]

Yes it is good they are doing something. That said it may be a case of too little too late

[krading]

Is the fact that some 'land owner' wants them the reason that they were arrested?

Couldn't read the story as the link didn't work.

[starkey_rich]

Educate them in Prison.I swim in the sea where these idiots are operating.

[Steps]

Educate them in Prison.I swim in the sea where these idiots are operating.

wonder how much they would pay for a big catch like that!! some tank that would take hey! might even end up in an aquarium in the US with a bit of luck!!