Artificial Reef Project, Thailand

Abstract

A review of the fishery in the Gulf of Thailand is presented which notes that the current level of trawling effort is excessive and suggests that a substantially lower trawling effort would probably improve the total economic value of the catch by reducing the proportion of trash fish in the catch and increasing the proportion and size at landing of fishes with high commercial value. A review of the marine environment concludes that the Gulf with its modest waves and currents together with the large amount of relatively level shallow areas with reasonably firm bottom sediments provides an ideal physical environment for artifical reefs. The results of the artificial reef work conducted by the Department of Fisheries, Government of Thailand at Rayong, Phuket, and Sonkhla indicate that reefs constructed from tires and open concrete blocks have shown minimal subsidence over the 6 years that the first unit have been in place, that commercially valuable snappers and groupers can be caught at the reef sites, and that artisanal fishermen frequently fish the artificial reef sites.