Thailand and Norway have a history of past cooperation in the fisheries and environmental sectors through the early work of the research vessel Dr. Fridtjof Nansen. The cooperation restarted after the tsunami catastrophe that destroyed large parts of the coastal aquaculture infrastructure and also negative impact on the living marine resources was seen in certain areas. The project: Post-tsunami Assessment of the Living Marine Resources and Development of a Strategic Plan for Sustainable Marine Fish Farming 2005-2009 is an institutional cooperation between Department of Fisheries, Thailand and CDCF, IMR.
The first phase of the project focused on building competence and capacity on fish resource assessment using the hydro-acoustic method through scientific instrumentation and institutional cooperation, drawing on experiences from IMR, FAO and the Nansen Programme in tropical and temperate waters and to install a modern pilot big cage farm and to develop a strategic plan for the aquaculture sector.
The next phase is more comprehensive and includes:
1. Development of marine aquaculture
The core of this project is operation of the pilot sea cage farm located at Laem Hin near Phuket, Thailand. Other key aspects are assistance in mass production of juveniles, fish health management, regulation of big cage marine farming, environmental monitoring and evaluation, economic analysis, elaboration of a strategic plan for development of aquaculture, training and competence building. Cobia was chosen as the species first to farm later to be followed by grouper. The first crop of cobia was successfully produced and the Thai management is now operating the pilot farm. Focus will now be directed towards farming of grouper as well as cobia in big cages plus support in developing mass production of juveniles. The implementing institution is Coastal Fisheries Research and Development Bureau, Department of Fisheries, Thailand (DOF) with CDCF/Institute of Marine Research, Norway (IMR) as the partner institution.
Thailand has a system of registration, licensing and regulation covering aquaculture, including the traditional marine fish farming industry but the new techniques opens for expanded production and new sites so there is a need for development and contribution for a Strategic Plan for Aquaculture and accordingly adjusted licensing, regulations and locality classification.
2. Assessment of fisheries resources in the Andaman Sea
This part of the project aims at strengthening the competence in mapping and assessment of fisheries resources at the Andaman Sea Fisheries Research and Development Center.
The first phase provided acoustic instrumentation for “Pramong 4” and basic training in the use of the instruments. Building on this, the next phase extends the training by assisting staff in the operation of the acoustic instruments and the fish stock sampling by trawl during surveys in the Andaman Sea. It also includes designing and installing a pelagic (mid-water) trawl in order to sample fish off the bottom and improving the existing trawls and the vessel with better equipment for operation and safety. This also includes scientific instrumentation and knowledge transfer for use and assessment and assistance in development of a suitable database.
Small scale aquaculture.
