Ecological Threats Of Small-Scale Fisheries In Thailand
Marine conservation experts have revealed the extent of marine megafauna catch by small-scale fisheries, in Thailand for the first time.
The Newcastle University study provides the first-ever estimate of the annual catch of marine megafauna species, including rays, sharks, sea turtles, dolphins, and dugongs, in Thailand’s small-scale fisheries – those fisheries using small boats, low tech equipment and often haul their fishing gear by hand.
Published in the journal Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Research, the results show estimated annual catches of 5.6 million rays, 457 thousand sharks, 2.4 thousand sea turtles, 790 small cetaceans, and 72 dugongs in Thailand’s small-scale fisheries.
