THE protection and sustenance of the environment has been among the most pressing issues not only in Thailand but the whole world as well. We therefore find the Fisheries Department’s imposition of the three-month fishing ban in the Gulf of Thailand a most welcome move.

The ban, which was also enforced last year, will be effective until May 15. Destructive fishing gear and large fishing vessels are not allowed from operating within a 26,400-square-kilometer area, which covers the waters around Chumpon, Prachuap, Khiri Khan and Suratthani provinces.

A stiff punishment awaits violators: Bt5,000 to Bt100,000 fine or one year in jail or both.

Commercial fishermen will always complain that the move will cut tremendously into their income, but they should realize that this is an investment in the long term and is being done for their benefit and also for the continued survival of their source of livelihood.

Although some fishermen reportedly even modify their equipment to sidestep the ban, most fishermen who have experienced steadily dwindling catch in recent years know in their hearts that tough measures like this are badly needed if the oceans are to yield sustainable harvest for future generations.

The stakes are high. A report published by the journal Science in November 2006 has warned that global fish stocks could be nearly depleted within 50 years if current trends continue.

Enforcing the ban during spawning period is one proactive and precise move that will yield an invaluable dividend in terms of food security and biodiversity, although experts say the ban doesn’t go far enough and insist that the most destructive types of fishing using bottom-trawling nets should be banned all year round.

They also say that if the seas are to recover, networks of permanent marine protected areas (MPAs) must be established in the world’s oceans to provide at-risk species with protection at all critical stages of their life cycles.

Thailand’s territorial waters have 23 MPAs, covering a total area of 5,819 square kilometers. This area should be expanded. Moreover, the protection inside MPAs should be strengthened.

According to the Asean Regional Center for Biodiversity Conservation, management of Thailand’s MPAs is generally weak, as the agency entrusted with enforcement, the Marine National Division, has a limited number of qualified staff. Encroachment occurs as there is little control.

Koh Similan and Koh Surin national marine parks are believed to be the best managed. The strengthening of the Andaman Marine Protected Areas Network, which includes these two parks, was announced in February last year.

The good news is that studies show that well-managed MPAs have huge benefits for both fish and fishers, as fish inside the protected areas naturally migrate outside the zones where they can be commercially fished.

Samui fishermen, while refraining from catching fish in these protected areas during the spawning period and suffering a dent in income for a short time, can always look forward to the fact that the government’s radical action will eventually redound to their benefit. — Patrick Roxas