Ao Phang Nga marine life rebounds during fishing ban

PHANG NGA, 26 October 2015 (NNT) - Starfish have reemerged in the Andaman Sea, after the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) prohibited large fishing vessels from operating near coastal areas.

Phang Nga Governor Pakapong Thawipat joined representatives from Phuket Marine Biological Center, Ao Phang Nga National Park and members of the press to observe the park's ecosystem after the ban was introduced.

They discovered that Ao Phang Nga National Park has become replete with marine plant and animal species. Seagrass meadows, which have rebounded, are important nursery grounds, providing fish and crustaceans with food and shelter.

A variety of starfish species, which had previously disappeared from Phang Nga waters, have returned to the national park. Mr. Pakapong also said that several rare marine animals were sighted near the park's coast, reflecting a change in foraging patterns.

Visitors to the national park are urged not to litter and or remove sea creatures from their natural habitats.


-- NNT 2015-10-26

Nice to read a bit of positive news on the marine conservation front.

Hats off to those responsible for making this happen.

Another example of, look we made new rules yesterday, and today everything has been solved already.

Another example of, look we made new rules yesterday, and today everything has been solved already.

I can't even imagine what it must be like going through life with that attitude.

BTW, did you actually visit the Reserve and find the article is misrepresenting the facts?

Meanwhile on the other coast......

The depletion of sea life is being blamed on an oil spill not over fishing.

Proper management along with proper enforcement is the only way to ensure a sustainable harvest.

Greed and a callous disregard for the environment will only end in a decimated industry where no one will have an income or a food source.

If PMBC is supporting the claim it must be real as they would have done surveys to monitor the change before and after the ban. This is excellent news but once we have an elected government back in the saddle the illegal fishing ban will be lifted and we'll be reading about a crash in marine life. It's been said that Thailand is not able to handle real democracy so perhaps they should have a ruling military junta for a few years to clean things up. An enforced illegal fishing ban is excellent progress.

Do these people seriously have any degrees? A seventh grader would tell you that if you stop fishing, and especially indiscriminate bottom trawling, there will be more of everything after couple of years. Not that the starfish is something absolutely necessary for a healthy ecosystem, but still... would hate to see them go.

If you have ever eaten shrimp with the eggs attached to the legs...then you know that Thailand is unconcerned for the sustaining future of their fisheries...they need to begin a conservation program to allow marine life to regenerate unmolested each year...there is not an endless supply...especially when it appears they are prone to over fishing...

They need to implement a fishing ban around Phuket. It is totally over fished!

Really beautiful to hear that positive news