Chumporn marine park temporarily closed

[snoop1130]

Chumporn marine park temporarily closed

 

 

Chumporn provincial governor Somdee Kachayoungyuen has ordered the closure of Chumporn marine park for a temporary indefinite period to all tourism-related and fishing activities from now on until further notice.

 

He said that the closure order followed a survey report from the National Park Wildlife and Plants Conservation Department showing that coral reefs at and around several islands in Chumporn marine park have been bleaching and, if tourism-related activities in the park are not suspended, the damage to the coral reefs from bleaching may be beyond rehabilitation.

 

The park covers Ngarm Noi, Maphrao, Kula and Raed islands.

 

Mr Rakpong Boonyoi, the marine park chief, said that the islands in Chumporn marine park are rich with staghorn corals and many of them are bleaching. He admitted that the temporary closure of the park might affect tourism business but there are other islands outside the park such as Ngam Yai and Hin Pae rock which are not closed and are rich with corals.

 

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/chumporn-marine-park-temporarily-closed/

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2016-08-10

 

[Srikcir]

15 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

there are other islands outside the park such as Ngam Yai and Hin Pae rock which are not closed and are rich with corals.

So that those corals too can experience damage.

While outside designated marine parks, they still lie within Thai sovereign and should be as regulated.

[tuanku]

Coral bleaching is not caused by tourism! It is caused mainly by temperature stresses, mostly a rise in sea temperature, although lower temperatures may also cause problems. It can be due to rainwater run-off from the land and pollution in some cases. 

However closing the park, while it may be desirable for other conservation reasons, is not going to stop bleaching of corals. http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/coral_bleach.html

 

Either the marine park personnel or the reporters or both are ignorant of the biology of coral reefs, or there is another reason for the closure and they believe the readers of this nonsense are too ill informed to know better.

 

Taking action that affects people's livelihoods under false pretenses is not a reasonable way to manage natural resources.