A Sea Full of Life:

Fishers are spending longer hours on their catch. Due to overexploitation, Thailand's fishery resources are declining. A report by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO, 2000) shows that 87% of marine fishers are small-scale fisherfolk.

According to a report by the Sustainable Development Foundation (SDF), "the decreasing fish stocks have had major impacts on small-scale fisherfolk who have been increasingly competing with commercial fishers for resources. There have been conflicts between small-scale and commercial fishers over the past 20 years. The catch per unit effort has also drastically decreased by almost 87 percent between 1966 and 2003, leading to an increase in actual fishing time by almost seven hours."

Every day, Mr. Win takes his boat out at 5 am with the hope of catching enough shrimp to cover his gasoline cost. These days he spends twice as many hours fishing to bring in the same amount of catch as previous years. On a good day, his catch only brings in approximately 300 THB (USD 9).

Fishing has been a livelihood that has been passed on for generations. Fishers live close to the shore and anchor their boats in canals. Mangrove forests are a natural shelter to protect boats and properties from storms. 

A fisher's past knowledge of oceanic cycles is no longer valid because of irregular weather patterns, warm waters, and the negative impact of climate change. These factors, along with the declining fish population, threaten the ability of small-scale fisherfolks to earn a viable income from the sea. 

Many fishers are abandoning their traditions and finding new occupations in alternative labor sectors, such as the tourism industry.

Mr. Jinda, originally from Cambodia and a part-time fisherman, said that compared to the past 30 years, there are now more fishing boats and an increased demand from buyers. As seafood prices continue to rise, the catch rates are declining and catch sizes are notably smaller. Overfishing and unregulated practices are causing alarming declines in fish stock. He also said that he has never seen the sea's temperature get this warm.  

In Mai Rood sub-district along the mangrove canal, crab farming is popular. 

In the past, due to lack of regulation and enforcement, thousands of crab traps were laid out in the canal and caused severe depletion of crab stocks. Now, local conservation groups volunteer to monitor and regulate the amount of traps in mangrove canals. 

In Laem Klad Sub-district, the neighbouring coast Mai Rood, local fishers formed a group called "Artisanal fishery conservation group of park Klong Ao Rawa" to implement a project "Community Learning Center for Sustainable Restoration of Marine and Coastal Resources". This one year project, supported by Mangroves for the Future (MFF), a regional coastal conservation initiative co-chaired by IUCN and UNDP, aims to increase coastal resilience to climate change by transferring knowledge to community members, neighbouring communities and coastal networks.

Mr Titi, founder of Ao Rawa Group, said the integration of coastal conservation should be promoted with eco-tourism as well and that MFF's investment is timely and essential for Thailand's communities. He wants to see more people become aware about the importance of coastal resources and sustainability.

Under three thematic areas (1) Sustainable fisheries, mangrove, marine and coastal resource conservation (2) Knowledge Management and (3) Environmental protection and waste management, Mangroves for the Future awarded nine small grant projects (March 2016 - February 2017) worth USD $150,000. The grants are managed and monitored by UNDP Thailand, under the supervision of the MFF National Coordinating Body (NCB).

Mai Rood and Laem Krad sub-districts in Trat province were selected as target areas. Both sites are located on coastal flat lands and share coastal resource as part of the Gulf of Trat. Mai Rood is known for being the largest artisanal fishery community in Trat province. Artisanal fishery or small-scale fishery is crucial for livelihood security to both sub-districts. Core cross-cutting issues like gender, climate change and knowledge management are incorporated into the project design.

We need to ensure a fair representation of men and women on the project steering committee.

The funds were given to civil society groups, NGOs and universities to raise awareness and empower people to have skills to manage and conserve their coastal and marine resources. Sustainable Development Foundation (SDF) and Kasetsart University (KU) are helping with documentation and knowledge sharing which will enable locals and relevant stakeholders to develop recommendations and measures on resource conservation and sustainable development.

Lessons learned from these project interventions will be shared with stakeholders in Trat on March 27 and 28, 2017.

For coastal communities who do not own land, marine and coastal resources are vital for their survival and livelihoods. Mangrove protection is critical for our future because without healthy forests fish stocks will collapse and ecosystems will be out of balance. Without small-scale fishers, food sovereignty will be lost.  

The future of food security really depends on how effectively we manage our coastal resources. 

To learn more about mangroves for the future, please visit our website www.mangrovesforthefuture.org/

Mangroves for the Future (MFF) is a partnership-based regional initiative which promotes investment in coastal ecosystem conservation for sustainable development. MFF focuses on the role that healthy, well-managed coastal ecosystems play in building the resilience of ecosystem-dependent coastal communities in Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Maldives, Myanmar, Pakistan, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Viet Nam. The initiative uses mangroves as a flagship ecosystem, but MFF is inclusive of all types of coastal ecosystem, such as coral reefs, estuaries, lagoons, sandy beaches, sea grasses and wetlands. MFF is co-chaired by IUCN and UNDP, and is funded by Danida, Norad, and Sida and the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Thailand.

Story by Siriporn Sriaram and Ana Grillo

Special thanks to 

Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR), Thailand National Coordinating Body (NCB) and the NCB Coordination Working Group.

Ms. Ravadee Prasertchareonsuk, Director of Sustainable Development Foundation (SDF) and her team.

Ms. Rawiwan Boonchai, Field coordinator, IUCN Thailand