Walailak University in Collaboration with International Organizations drives the Force of a Project on the Best Strategy for Marine Resource Restoration
Walailak University has established cooperation with national and international sectors to conduct the project called “The Research and Academic Services for Improving Blue Swimming Crab Abundance in the Gulf of Thailand. This project has been supported by the World Wide Fund for Nature, the NFI Crab Council (United States), and the Marine Resources Assessment Group (MREG) to implement the project based on the principle of the Fishery Improvement Project, which is the analysis of comparative results in line with the academic framework. The comparative results of the project include stock status and fisheries, environmental and ecological assessment, and management strategy for sustainability.
Moreover, the project has been collaboratively developed by various national sectors, e.g., the Thai Frozen Foods Association, the Department of Fisheries, the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources, the Hydro-Informatics Institute, Ubon Ratchathani University, Kasetsart University, Rajamangala University of Technology Srivijaya Trang Campus, and Rambhai Barni Rajabhat University.
According to 5 years implements (2018-2023), there was enhancing evaluation fisheries standards in Thailand, Fishery Improvement Project (FIP), Blue Swimming Crab (Portunus pelagicus). Previously, the score given by MREG in 2017 before starting this project, Thailand was level as C-level then the score raised to A-level in 2018 and 2022. This result showed that this research was recognized as the best practices for marine resources restoration as the score is showed in the website https://fisheryprogress.org/. Any countries where import fishery products from Thailand appreciated the score and resulted to globally enhance market of fishery products from Thailand. Moreover, the findings from this research can be applied for blue swimming crab management in the areas. The results showed that it increased the number of blue swimming crab. From the beginning, the fishermen were able to catch less than 5 kg/ship/day rising to 10 kg/ship/day.
In addition, this research data was able to apply in terms of country policy for recommendation to declare the aquatic animal refuge area as nursery for young aquatic animals and suggesting guidelines for the establishment of a blue swimming crab bank and appropriate blue crab release points for increasing the survival rate of blue crabs in natural sources as well as appropriate ecosystem management for the restoration of blue swimming crab resources, etc.
