Banned shallow nets seized from Krabi coast
Officials from the operation centre for fisheries prevention and suppression in region 3 (Krabi) have removed 26 illegal shallow-water pound nets from Krabi’s Khlong Tom and Koh Lanta districts.
The 26 nets were again set up in Bor Moung bay in Khlong Tom’s Tambon Khlong Pon and in Koh Lanta’s Tambon Koh Klang after officials had removed previous nets last year as part of the government’s attempt to suppress illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. The nets’ removal was done without resistance or obstruction by fishermen.
Centre director, Angkoon Rattanaphrom, said the government has paid compensation to a total of 256 fishermen to cease using shallow-water pound nets, but some 200 fishermen had not removed the illegal gear despite multiple warnings to do so by officials since the middle of last year.
Shallow-water pound nets were outlawed after studies found that the gear had seriously depleted the stock of reproduction-age marine life and obstructed the paths of boats.
After the removal of shallow-water pound nets, some 400,000 rai (64,000 hectares) of water habitat along the coast of Krabi Sea were reclaimed, allowing marine life to begin rebounding.
