Marine eco-system in the Gulf at risk of collapse: Greenpeace

[Payboy]

To be fair, when you've to worry where your next meal's coming from, you really can't be arsed to give a fark about some coral.

[hellodolly]

Not to rain on peoples parade. But being old I can remember when it was a standard joke. The Americans have landed on the moon you can tell by the litter.

I have noticed on the state of Washington that the highways are kept clean by various groups of civic minded people and businesses and unions. They patrol certain areas and collect the litter on there area.

This is done because the states are full of litterbugs only now there are groups of people cleaning up behind them. Ask the Greenpeace people about the state of fish stocks off the coast of many Western countries. They will not paint you a pretty picture.

[gamini]

In most countries the minimum mesh of nets must not be less than 6 inches so the smaller fish can swim through the gap and grow to a large size. In Thailand all these large trawlers are using 1 - 2 inch mesh and catching all the small fish to such an extent that there are none to grow to a commercial viable size. There are laws against this but I have never seen a Fisheries officer in Thailand inspecting nets anywhere.

The only fish left in Thailand is the pond raised Plakapong Khao. Which the industry tries to palm off as sea bass, which it is not. It is farmed in fresh water in huge quantities inland. Unable to get any sea fish any more some restaurants are beginning to palm it off as white snapper!

[tropo]

why bother, the thai people do not give a shit about their own country, all that matters is money. Just look at the filth and crap all over the place, they have no respect for anything. This is so disheartening, it is a beautiful country but the people just dont care about it. How do you teach people to respect their own country when they are lazy and too proud to do the right thing, it is easier to throw your rubbish in the street than it is to bin it. They really nned a clean up Thailand day but no one would attend because it would mean working and that would cause too many to loose face, pathetic......

The answer is education.

But first you need to have a government that has a long term goal and a vision for the future.

No amount of education is going to prevent over fishing.

When the fish stocks disappear, so will the fishing boats. It's just a natural cycle of life. Fish farms will take over... they're well on their way already. Ocean caught fish will become an expensive luxury. They already are in Australia. The cheap fish comes from Vietnam fish farms.

Edited June 30, 2013 by tropo

[lee b]

To your average Thai, the "future" means next week. Anything past that is beyond their comprehension. As a result, they are totally ignorant of the fact that their actions today determine their future.

I was sure it meant today is the only day.......No tomorrow

[Soutpeel]

where fishing isn't allowed.

officially its not allowed...but guess again...

[oneday]

We've been hearing doom and gloom for a long, long time and I do believe it is coming. What I'm waiting for is to hear it IS NOW too late and there is no way to save it or it's so unprofitable to fish that all fishermen go out of business. It's coming...

There can be no enforcement of laws when corruption is a deeply engrained way of life.

[SSSlongtime]

told by old lady 30 years ago the mekong was blue ,crocks ,dolphins ,all gone , animals all gone ,birds nearly all gone ,trees on the way out ,why not fish ,only in short time will be all gone ,its not just thailand world over ,

[aussiebebe]

why bother, the thai people do not give a shit about their own country, all that matters is money. Just look at the filth and crap all over the place, they have no respect for anything. This is so disheartening, it is a beautiful country but the people just dont care about it. How do you teach people to respect their own country when they are lazy and too proud to do the right thing, it is easier to throw your rubbish in the street than it is to bin it. They really nned a clean up Thailand day but no one would attend because it would mean working and that would cause too many to loose face, pathetic......

The answer is education.

But first you need to have a government that has a long term goal and a vision for the future.

I think the answer is US sanctions.

Thailand's got another year to stop the fishing boat slavery before sanctions come into force. I hope the US acts - I have more faith in the US government implementing sanctions than I do in the Thai government either getting real about education or intervening in the fishing industry.

Reading this article helps explain why slavery is a fact of life on Thai boats; if the catch per hour has already collapsed to as little as 25kg (according to the article) and fisherman are still bothering, then obviously slavery is sadly the only way to make the operation financially viable.

[DocN]

... How do you teach people to respect their own country when they are lazy and too proud to do the right thing, it is easier to throw your rubbish in the street than it is to bin it......

There is ONE MAN who could change a lot of this with a few speeches ...

I am forever pondering why he doesnt.

Is it all hidden from him?

I too have often wondered why. It would be so easy.

An instant change in the habits of millions of Thais.

TL

You mean...in the same way, they all been listening to his advice on flood- prevention, re- forestation or on how he can not be beyond criticism? That all worked so well, didn't it?!

[SSSlongtime]

why bother, the thai people do not give a shit about their own country, all that matters is money. Just look at the filth and crap all over the place, they have no respect for anything. This is so disheartening, it is a beautiful country but the people just dont care about it. How do you teach people to respect their own country when they are lazy and too proud to do the right thing, it is easier to throw your rubbish in the street than it is to bin it. They really nned a clean up Thailand day but no one would attend because it would mean working and that would cause too many to loose face, pathetic......

The answer is education.

But first you need to have a government that has a long term goal and a vision for the future.

No amount of education is going to prevent over fishing.

When the fish stocks disappear, so will the fishing boats. It's just a natural cycle of life. Fish farms will take over... they're well on their way already. Ocean caught fish will become an expensive luxury. They already are in Australia. The cheap fish comes from Vietnam fish farms.

i bought some kosher fish in france ,reading the box it came from china ,maybe fish but not 100% sure ,never again

[Unkomoncents]

why bother, the thai people do not give a shit about their own country, all that matters is money. Just look at the filth and crap all over the place, they have no respect for anything. This is so disheartening, it is a beautiful country but the people just dont care about it. How do you teach people to respect their own country when they are lazy and too proud to do the right thing, it is easier to throw your rubbish in the street than it is to bin it. They really nned a clean up Thailand day but no one would attend because it would mean working and that would cause too many to loose face, pathetic......

The answer is education.

But first you need to have a government that has a long term goal and a vision for the future.

And who is going to educate them? You think Thais will? From the poor to the rich, the main concern is MONEY and their own personal hygiene (cuz you gotta look good). You see it everywhere. Even in areas next to really nice high-income neighborhoods, you drive down the road and there is trash all along the road. Go to major hotels EVERYWHERE in Thailand and while the main facilities are nice, the filth and trash on the drives into them are horrendous.

It's all superficial here. The hotel looks good while it funnels its guest's feces a 100 meters out from the shore.

Compare Thailand to Costa Rica, about the same latitude, and what a completely different mindset. There 25% of the land is set aside as national wildlife parks, and people don't go about poaching and illegally felling trees. The national parks there are beautiful with few hints of human trespass.

How quickly this has degenerated into thai-bashing. It is almost like a lot of you are seeing the same therapist who has prescribed this as a cure for for your sad lives.

Great click-bait for TV but a depressing display of naked racism. Really, why do you all live here? Is it some form of self-flagellation?

Aren't you a sorry, sorry apologist. Based on your line of apologist thinking (polluters must be morally acceptable, in your mind, based on your post), anyone who criticizes a Thai is automatically a "racist", incapable of recognizing Thai integrity and honesty, traits they are world-famous for. I'm sure you think that the insurgency in the south of Thailand is a sign of Thai humanitarianism. You're right, it's unfair to think of the Thais as prostitutes and scam artists, because Thais show no greater predilection for those behaviors than Swiss people. In fact, prostitution and fraud in Thailand are rare, because of how great Thais are. Anyone who says differently is a RACIST. War is common in Africa? Racist. Russians? (You know you don't care because they're the white oppressor). Best part: you couldn't even show enough respect for Thais as to capitalize your use of the word...

This was the most self-righteous, self-congratulatory post ever. You're right to protect Thais. They are so good at showing respect for other ethnic groups. Human Rights Watch is always praising Thailand for its charitable care of the Rohingyas. The Cambodians and Burmese are avid fans of Thai "multiculturalism". I never cease to be amazed by the self-righteous idiots from the West who think they can come in and defend everyone willy-nilly because "we're all equal" and "racism is bad, bad, baddy time" without noticing that their foolish, unsupported cultural values are entirely relative and the people they're defending are actively seeking their deportation.

Edited June 30, 2013 by Unkomoncents

[HerbalEd]

why bother, the thai people do not give a shit about their own country, all that matters is money. Just look at the filth and crap all over the place, they have no respect for anything. This is so disheartening, it is a beautiful country but the people just dont care about it. How do you teach people to respect their own country when they are lazy and too proud to do the right thing, it is easier to throw your rubbish in the street than it is to bin it. They really nned a clean up Thailand day but no one would attend because it would mean working and that would cause too many to loose face, pathetic......

What you say is true of many places, although you do over generalize.

[Lite Beer]

Is there hope for Thailand’s fishery? Greenpeace vessel Esperanza docks in Bangkok
By Praj Kiatpongsan

BANGKOK: -- Environmental NGO Greenpeace has anchored its biggest vessel Esperanza at Bangkok Port in Khlong Toei to launch a campaign against overfishing in the Gulf of Thailand.

Behind the Port’s OB Building, hundreds of students from schools across Bangkok formed a line today to board the former fireboat, now eco-warrior ship Esperanza. The 29-year-old watercraft is the newest and largest of the Greenpeace fleet, following in the wake of The Rainbow Warrior and The Arctic Sunrise.

The dockyards around Esperanza have been decorated with booths and exhibitions, with Greenpeace activists explaining to teenage students how overfishing poses a long-term threat to the country’s entire ocean ecosystem.

The arrival of Esperanza also signifies Greenpeace’s intentions to take concrete actions, rather than just relying on awareness-raising campaigns. The NGO submitted requests to Thailand’s Fisheries Department yesterday demanding that the government enforce rules about properly-sized fishing tools and enact stronger laws to convict those who use large and destructive nets and gear.

Greenpeace’s bid to authorities comes on the heels of a recently released report showing that commercial fishing operations have become too aggressive and that fish reproduction and the marine environment are being destroyed. The report claims that the average yield of a fishing operation in the Gulf of Thailand has been waning at an alarming rate – from 300 kilograms of fish per hour per fishing operation in 1961 to only 25 kilograms in 2011. Other examples of depleted stock: The stock of longtail tuna caught in Thailand dropped from around 70,000 tons in 2006 to less than 20,000 tons in 2010, while Spanish mackerel dropped from roughly 25,000 tons to 10,000 in the same time period.

Read More: http://bangkok.coconuts.co/2013/06/28/there-hope-thailands-fishery-greenpeace-vessel-esperanza-docks-bangkok

-- Coconuts Bangkok 2013-06-30

[stiggy]

On moving to the islands 15 years ago, It saddens me greatly to have witnessed the destruction first hand.Unfortunately it went beyond tipping point early on in 2000 - 2005 IMO.

Sadly the average Thai simply doesn't give a toss, a few do and having worked with them they're passionate.however challenges such as fisheries dept not even having fuel budget to patrol etc etc has not helped.

Have any of you flown across the GOT on a clear night? The amount of fishing vessels is simply staggering.

So the simple fact is Money has won the cost being the environment.

[teacherofwoe]

Coming soon: The Fish Pledging Scheme.

[blundaman]

it's enough to make one turn vegetarian ...soon we may all end up eating our own words, just as most of all our fearless leaders have done

nom nom nom

[trawler]

it's enough to make one turn vegetarian ...soon we may all end up eating our own words, just as most of all our fearless leaders have done

nom nom nom

Sailed from Samui to Pattaya last month,and on both nights sailed through line after line of squid fishing boats,never really dark and stars barely visible due all the background light.During the day lots of dragnet trawlers and line fishing boats,so am not surprised not much left in the Gulf.cheers

[Chrisswe]

The question is WHY !!??

[Netizen]

The whole world ecosystem is at risk of collapse. There are many numbers of ecosystems animal species all over the world that are at risk of extinction.

USA, Europe and UK destroyed all their forests many years ago and many animals that were native to those regions are extinct.

Europeans cannot lecture Asian about destruction of ecosystems from the pulpit of false righteousness.

Politicians only care where their next buck and vote is coming from. The environment is far from their concerns.

The only hope for mankind is the evolution and proliferation of marine species that can survive a barren sea floor and feed off the the garbage mankind dumps in their environment. They won't be short of food!

[oldsailor35]

Fish stocks have got to a stage of desperation. There needs to be a 12 month moratorium on all fishing in the Gulf. However this will never happen whilst we have got influential families owning the fishing boats. The fact is, that Thai people from all walks, just do not care. Only last night i watched a man with a casting net on a Koh Samui beach taking fish as small as a 10bht coin, he had about 20 telling me "Soup Soup Aloy" Do the kids at school ever get educated about the importance of leaving these small fish.................NO! because nobody cares.

[how241]

Pretty sad when the only refuge for marine life is right under the oil platforms, where fishing isn't allowed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtrmEaLROsU

Thanks....Great video !

[oldsailor35]

There was once a man of power in Thailand who grew up and was educated in England. When he came to power, i thought "at last" things will now change for the better. However i forgot one thing. That mans "Thainess" MAI PEN LAI ! He did absolutely nothing for his country. I think his name was Abisit Vijaya.

[aguy30]

The government is broken and the education system is broken. You expect far too much from people that have to use a calculator to know how much change is due when something cost 95 baht and you give them 100. Greed is the biggest motivator for rich and poor alike, without regard and thought of sustainability and environment. Most Thais won't even have hindsight about what happened to the all the fish and the seas. I wouldn't doubt that if you asked the Prada PM or her fugitive brother "where do fish come from", they would answer the supermarket or a restaurant. This government is not going to risk offending another group of people with restrictions and controls on fishing and proper care of the seas.

Many of the concepts presented by members are great ideas, but the problem is that to teach the Thai people and to make it a reality is about as difficult as teaching your dog to use the toilet, flush it and raise the seat when finished. It just will not happen in any reasonable amount of time and probably not in your lifetime.

Edited June 30, 2013 by aguy30

[Thai at Heart]

Fish stocks have got to a stage of desperation. There needs to be a 12 month moratorium on all fishing in the Gulf. However this will never happen whilst we have got influential families owning the fishing boats. The fact is, that Thai people from all walks, just do not care. Only last night i watched a man with a casting net on a Koh Samui beach taking fish as small as a 10bht coin, he had about 20 telling me "Soup Soup Aloy" Do the kids at school ever get educated about the importance of leaving these small fish.................NO! because nobody cares.

No Enforcement, no change.

Simple

[oldsailor35]

In Queensland we have fishery protection rangers in fast boats. They stop and check any fishing boat for illegalities. Each person is allowed a small number of fish these fish must be of a minimum size and god help anyone with undersized fish or over the number allowed. They can loose everything including the boat ! Also it is illegal to take female crabs.

[oldsailor35]

why bother, the thai people do not give a shit about their own country, all that matters is money. Just look at the filth and crap all over the place, they have no respect for anything. This is so disheartening, it is a beautiful country but the people just dont care about it. How do you teach people to respect their own country when they are lazy and too proud to do the right thing, it is easier to throw your rubbish in the street than it is to bin it. They really nned a clean up Thailand day but no one would attend because it would mean working and that would cause too many to loose face, pathetic......

The answer is education.

But first you need to have a government that has a long term goal and a vision for the future.

And who is going to educate them? You think Thais will? From the poor to the rich, the main concern is MONEY and their own personal hygiene (cuz you gotta look good). You see it everywhere. Even in areas next to really nice high-income neighborhoods, you drive down the road and there is trash all along the road. Go to major hotels EVERYWHERE in Thailand and while the main facilities are nice, the filth and trash on the drives into them are horrendous.

It's all superficial here. The hotel looks good while it funnels its guest's feces a 100 meters out from the shore.

Compare Thailand to Costa Rica, about the same latitude, and what a completely different mindset. There 25% of the land is set aside as national wildlife parks, and people don't go about poaching and illegally felling trees. The national parks there are beautiful with few hints of human trespass.

How quickly this has degenerated into thai-bashing. It is almost like a lot of you are seeing the same therapist who has prescribed this as a cure for for your sad lives.

Great click-bait for TV but a depressing display of naked racism. Really, why do you all live here? Is it some form of self-flagellation?

Not Thai bashing mate! just hoping to get reason into some thick heads, looks it ain't working on you though !

[impulse]

Pretty sad when the only refuge for marine life is right under the oil platforms, where fishing isn't allowed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtrmEaLROsU

Thanks....Great video !

FYI, the link to the video was sent to a me by the Environmental Group at an international oil company that operates in GOT. I'm told the divers were mostly supervised local university students doing a normal periodic environmental audit of the sea under each platform. The platforms are a few miles from Songkhla.

On our own platforms, we have fish samples taken several times a year by government fisheries people who dissect the fish and analyze for any contamination, especially heavy metals and hydrocarbons. They compare the results to fish caught elsewhere in the GOT as a control.

[oldsailor35]

Although I don't live near the ocean I am a keen diver and im saddened when I see Thai's just flick cigarette butts and rubbish into the sea.

Education is the way forward and this must come from the elders of the village first or the province or the country. Unfortunately it seems the elders

don't give a shit!

That is correct, they are past learning, so its up to the kids provided they are taught these things at school because they will not be taught anything by their grand parents or in turn parents.

[oldsailor35]

To be fair, when you've to worry where your next meal's coming from, you really can't be arsed to give a fark about some coral.

Errr! but Thailand claim they are not a third world country any longer, and to be honest, i do not see many starving Thais. Where do you live, is it really that bad there, do any of them have shiny new pick up trucks or mobile phones. I guess not seeing as how they can't get a next feed.