Petehttp://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/2 ... rom-humans
Thailand's coral under serious threat
Thailand's coral under serious threat
This is sad news, especially for someone like me who was lucky enough as little as 40 years ago to stand at the shore line in Chonburi and Rayong and see blooming coral stretching as far as the eye could see. For my 4 year old when adult, live coral will be something seen only in text books I'm afraid. Pete
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/2 ... rom-humans
Petehttp://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/2 ... rom-humans
Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. Source
A very disturbing report there, but nothing new. I notice their reasons for coral degradation were a little off:
Additionally they have left off the major cause of coral and marine life depletion which is fishing. There are a number of pristine spots down the coast south of Prachuab where coral is growing but they will be fished out within a few years if nothing is done about it. The coral reef is an entire ecosystem which relies on the fish to be there. Thai fishermen generally do not respect the ocean they depend on for their livelihood.
There are a couple of islands off the coast of Chumphon with good coral growth and I was pleased that they had designated the area a marine national park. What really made my blood boil is that they were all too keen to deprive the farangs of 200 baht to visit the islands but still allowed locals to anchor on the coral and fish using nets. Half of my diving was spent cutting fishing nets off the coral.
I've also witnessed fishing boats throwing huge bin liners of plastic and polystyrene into the ocean near Hin Daeng & Hin Muang - two spots with abundant coral and marine life that attract manta rays in the Andaman.
Only when Thailand stops its money grabbing and starts caring for its environment through education will these reports show something positive.
Interesting to see there were a couple of blue spots around the Bangsaphan area - this also goes against their reasoning as there is a steel mill, sediment run-off, and a lot of fishing that goes on in the area. I don't think the coral will be there for long, it is already suffering around Koh Talu however this is due to the ignorant snorkel trippers mentioned above.
Nice of them to blame the foreigners for destructive diving when in fact it is their own people on snorkeling trips that are not educated to refrain from standing on the reef and kicking the hell out of it. Divers are generally quite responsible under water.the causes of coral reef illnesses, such as water pollution, flows of sediment from the land to the sea, and destructive diving activities,
Additionally they have left off the major cause of coral and marine life depletion which is fishing. There are a number of pristine spots down the coast south of Prachuab where coral is growing but they will be fished out within a few years if nothing is done about it. The coral reef is an entire ecosystem which relies on the fish to be there. Thai fishermen generally do not respect the ocean they depend on for their livelihood.
There are a couple of islands off the coast of Chumphon with good coral growth and I was pleased that they had designated the area a marine national park. What really made my blood boil is that they were all too keen to deprive the farangs of 200 baht to visit the islands but still allowed locals to anchor on the coral and fish using nets. Half of my diving was spent cutting fishing nets off the coral.
I've also witnessed fishing boats throwing huge bin liners of plastic and polystyrene into the ocean near Hin Daeng & Hin Muang - two spots with abundant coral and marine life that attract manta rays in the Andaman.
Only when Thailand stops its money grabbing and starts caring for its environment through education will these reports show something positive.
Interesting to see there were a couple of blue spots around the Bangsaphan area - this also goes against their reasoning as there is a steel mill, sediment run-off, and a lot of fishing that goes on in the area. I don't think the coral will be there for long, it is already suffering around Koh Talu however this is due to the ignorant snorkel trippers mentioned above.
Who is the happier man, he who has braved the storm of life and lived or he who has stayed securely on shore and merely existed? - Hunter S Thompson
Its a conspiracy!
Seriously though, the effects of global warming on coral are totally different to the effects of humans. A warming of the oceans will cause coral bleaching, what is happening in Thailand is physical damage caused by destructive fishing practices such as dropping anchors directly on the reef, throwing plastic overboard, using nets near corals, and even in some instances using dynamite.
Seriously though, the effects of global warming on coral are totally different to the effects of humans. A warming of the oceans will cause coral bleaching, what is happening in Thailand is physical damage caused by destructive fishing practices such as dropping anchors directly on the reef, throwing plastic overboard, using nets near corals, and even in some instances using dynamite.
Who is the happier man, he who has braved the storm of life and lived or he who has stayed securely on shore and merely existed? - Hunter S Thompson
I saw that in the Philippine as far back as 1989. Probably going on longer than that. It didn't look like a full stick, but perhaps 1/3. Enough to make a 10' high plume of water though and many dead fish, most of which weren't food fish, what a waste. Petebuksida wrote:..... and even in some instances using dynamite.
Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. Source
