CAS Director Attends Meeting for the Annual Progress Evaluation of the Thailand Blue Swimming Crab Fishery Improvement Project (FIP)

THA SALA, NAKHON SI THAMMARAT, 15 February 2023 – Walailak University, represented by Asst. Prof. Dr. Amonsak Sawusdee, Director of the Center for Academic Services (CAS), participated in a Zoom meeting to discuss the 2022 Annual Evaluation of the Thailand Blue Swimming Crab Fishery Improvement Project (FIP). The meeting brought together representatives from the Marine Resource Assessment Group (MRAG), the Thai Crab Product Group, the Thai Frozen Foods Association, the Department of Fisheries, the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources, Ubon Ratchathani University, and Rambhai Barni Rajabhat University.

Key topics presented in the meeting included:

  1. The existence of strategies in reporting the stock status of blue swimming crabs in Surat Thani by using the Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY)
  2. The implementation of measures for assessing blue swimming crab banks, releasing juveniles, and additional strategies for restoring the crab population, such as establishing conservation zones and setting mesh size limitations.
  3. Conducting studies on the impacts of clam farms on the blue swimming crab population.
  4. Management strategy development based on the successful results of fishery refugia initiative
  5. Setting management strategies based on the achievements of fishery refugia projects.
  6. Setting recommendations on ghost gears and their effects on ecosystems.
  7. Providing additional information about the projects on the restoration of mangroves, corals, and seagrass conducted by the Department of Fisheries.
  8. Reporting the data on the performance of blue swimming crab fishing in each type of fishing boat
  9. The Department of Fisheries should provide additional details regarding the monitoring of illegal fishing activities by local fishing vessels.
  10. The solutions for addressing fishing issues from fishermen to be adopted as policies by the Department of Fisheries.

The assessment results published on FisheryProgress.org indicated that the project received an “A” grade, reflecting advanced progress, with the success rate of core missions increasing from 45% to 65%. Following the meeting, all partners will review and develop new strategies to further implement the project, with a particular focus on In-scope Species, Out-of-scope Species, and Ghost Gear management.

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