Blue crab populations decline significantly in Thailand

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Blue crab populations decline significantly in Thailand

BANGKOK, 26 May 2016 (NNT) - The Department of Fisheries (DOF) is urgently developing a plan to manage blue crab populations in Thailand, which are in continuous decline.

The DOF and World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) announced their intention to restore the number of blue crabs and prevent overfishing in Thai waters.

They plan to improve blue crab fishing data and statistics sharing among relevant agencies. A campaign will be launched to encourage fishers to source blue crabs responsibly.

Both public and private sectors are also expected to be involved in the same campaign under a four-year plan. It will be piloted in Surat Thani province.

Fisheries expert Warin Thanasomwang said the number of blue crabs caught between 2008 and 2013 declined by as much as 20,000 tons. Ms. Warin hopes the conservation plan will boost the populations, while providing enough for domestic consumption.


-- NNT 2016-05-26

[teko]

And the other marine species that have been decimated by Thai fishing practices...........are we going to take a look at those as well?

[WhizBang]

Overfishing is a problem in Thailand because there is no foresight, hence no long term planning.

And what does a 20000 ton decline actually translate into? Is that a 1% decline, from 2008, or a 20%, or 50% or greater decline? Without a reference point the figure is meaningless. As usual crappy reporting.

[CantSpell]

Blame Somtam

[Misterwhisper]

Is there any marine species fit for human consumption that is NOT being overfished in Thai waters? I doubt it.

The only "management" practice that seems to prevail among industrial fishing operators and smallscale fishermen alike is "catch as much today as you possibly can, and to hell with tomorrow".

And the DOF is living proof that Thais never had and never will have foresight about anything.

Now that the blue crap population is actually plummeting, they start to worry and want to hurriedly come up with a management plan. They should have started implementing a management plan a decade ago.

[hugh2121]

Just look around the market and see the size of the crabs on sale. Most should have been put back until they grow big enough to provide a little meat.

[Merylhighground]

Overfishing is a problem in Thailand because there is no foresight, hence no long term planning.

And what does a 20000 ton decline actually translate into? Is that a 1% decline, from 2008, or a 20%, or 50% or greater decline? Without a reference point the figure is meaningless. As usual crappy reporting.

Indeed Sir, nicely thought and laid out post but they have to keep the Chinese market happy.....

[rethaier]

If they would throw back undersize crabs and females with eggs the problem would not be as severe. But conservation is not a word in the Thai conversation.

[phrisco17]

The overall fishing problem here, there are no specific fishing seasons for any species of fish, crab, oster, etc and no size/catch limits. Most countries have fishing seasons which coincide with spawning cycles, thus allowing for the reproduction of marine life. But TIT!

[mike324]

Blame Somtam

crabs in somtam are mainly freshwater crabs, hence many times when eaten, you have an explosion in your pants, even for Thais

[VN4now]

Blame Somtam

No clearly the Shins used them all to get elected.

[Scouse Twoccer]

And the other marine species that have been decimated by Thai fishing practices...........are we going to take a look at those as well?

What are the ones you know of and are referring to?

[Scouse Twoccer]

But conservation is not a word in the Thai conversation.

It seems that it is, maybe you just don't understand it...

"Ms. Warin hopes the conservation plan..."

[Mook23]

the crabs i occassionaly eat are from farms as there are no fresh sea crabs left in my area ....

the large kungs are also from farms ....

when i ask for SEA SHRIMPS i get the "no have" reply and I refuse to buy farm shrimps..........................

in burma i eat loads of crabs from the andaman though, dirt cheap and fresh!

[tuanku]

In ten years living where a fleet of small long tail boats go out for crabs every day we have noticed

• A steep decline in the number and size of the fishing boats involved
• A big drop in the size of the crabs caught
• The closure of our local crab processing factory
• A steep increase in the price of crabs
• The stopping of the practice of agents coming by in pick up trucks to buy crabs off the boats.

This is despite the local authorities spending hundreds of thousands of baht dropping concrete blocks on the seabed to create artificial crab habitats.

This industry is entirely self regulating as far as I can see.

[clockman]

One by one, Teflon Thailand is no more! It had to happen. Its taken 20 years. But now everything is falling apart.

[Pepper1959]

As my father always said when we use to go crabbing in Perth, only take males crabs, leave the females because you only need one or two males to breed with the females and the population will continue to grow. Also, with the gauge, set it a little larger, never take those just size, they are simply too small. Only take enough crabs that you can eat, never waste them, they are too precious. He was a man who always believed in fishing but believed in fishing for the future. Here, I see in the supermarkets, crabs, of the blue manna species that are no larger than large spiders, all females and there is the problem, no regulation and this probably happens with every species in the sea.

[clockman]

Thais only live for today.!

[SiSePuede419]

The Thai word for "lobster" is กุ้งก้ามกราม or Giant Freshwater Prawn.

However, lobsters aren't Freshwater and you can't buy them in Thailand.

Looking forward to eating a fresh Lobster roll with coleslaw this holiday weekend.

Sucks to be in Thailand, eh?

[SiSePuede419]

Blame Somtam

No clearly the Shins used them all to get elected.

I love The Shins! Best band out of Albuquerque.

Sound a bit like the Cure...

[2fishin2]

Blame Somtam

crabs in somtam are mainly freshwater crabs, hence many times when eaten, you have an explosion in your pants, even for Thais

Not necessarily true. Depends on where you live and type of ST. They are 2 distinctive different types of salad.

[robblok]

Everyone is acting like this is a Thai problem, I can still recall the North Sea and how it was mismanaged and how cod was gone (still not much there). But after years of fighting with the fishermen (same selfish bunch as in Thailand) and lots of riots and fines it was changed. This however did not happen overnight and took years and years and still the fishermen are always moaning.

[aussieinthailand]

Just look around the market and see the size of the crabs on sale. Most should have been put back until they grow big enough to provide a little meat.

Spot on, MINIMUM SIZES need to be SERIOUSLY controlled and the ABSELUT BANNING of taking crab in berry,(female crab with eggs), Unfortunately it's not just small markets that sell under size crab it's the big supermarkets that do it as well.

I refuse to buy or let my wife buy small undersize crab, or fish and this has been explained to family when they come and visit, which they also understand the importance of the issue but only seeing it after it is pointed out.

[madmitch]

An absolute ban on catching female crabs with eggs, despite the conservational benefits, would not be welcomed by the locals, who go out of their way to look for such individuals at the markets. And we all know the live for today attitude that prevails here.

[oldsailor35]

As my father always said when we use to go crabbing in Perth, only take males crabs, leave the females because you only need one or two males to breed with the females and the population will continue to grow. Also, with the gauge, set it a little larger, never take those just size, they are simply too small. Only take enough crabs that you can eat, never waste them, they are too precious. He was a man who always believed in fishing but believed in fishing for the future. Here, I see in the supermarkets, crabs, of the blue manna species that are no larger than large spiders, all females and there is the problem, no regulation and this probably happens with every species in the sea.

Perhaps your father in Perth Western Australia should have explained to you that taking female crabs is against the law there, and why! Yes they are very particular about the size of the crab and if you are caught with either females or undersized crabs, you will certainly loose your boat, any other equipment and face a big fine. Here in Thailand i often see people sifting the sand for tiny shell fish and crabs, i asked a woman with a half filled jam jar, why she was doing it. She smiled and said "make soup" These people are so uneducated, they do not understand what damage they are doing.

Edited May 27, 2016 by oldsailor35

[huangnon]

Everyone is acting like this is a Thai problem, I can still recall the North Sea and how it was mismanaged and how cod was gone (still not much there). But after years of fighting with the fishermen (same selfish bunch as in Thailand) and lots of riots and fines it was changed. This however did not happen overnight and took years and years and still the fishermen are always moaning.

Yes, I remember the "Cod Wars" in the 70's, with Norwegian vessels encroaching British waters.

Similarly in the 90's with the Spanish mega-trawlers that were actually floating fish-processing vessels. We should have sunk them all.

[mike324]

Blame Somtam

crabs in somtam are mainly freshwater crabs, hence many times when eaten, you have an explosion in your pants, even for Thais

Not necessarily true. Depends on where you live and type of ST. They are 2 distinctive different types of salad.

I still stand by that the majority of the somtam stalls are freshwater crabs... blue crab is expensive, hence you find it at restaurants instead of stalls...or you find it at cities closer to the beach more often

[OscarTheTurtle]

All crab populations are decreasing. And insect populations too. Every animal and plant that is not wanted by humans seems to be decreasing. You can't keep taking and taking from the environment and expect to have more life in it. There were animals all over this land in the past and now they just aren't there or at least there in the same numbers.

The nature we've known is doomed.

[ALLSEEINGEYE]

There is little or no management and enforcement of any kind in Thailand so it's no surprise that they will over fish and eventually deplete their stocks.

In Canada you cannot keep any female crabs and you can only keep males that are a certain size, depending on the species, to ensure that they have at least reached the age where they have reproduced at least once.

Thais will eat anything they can find, in some cases, as we have seen on reports here, they will even eat dead fish that they find.

No hope for the future here.

[Gonsalviz]

Never seen a Blue Crab here. Flower Crabs, yes but not Blue and I eat a lot of crab.