SUSTAINABLE FISHERIES IN THE ANDAMAN SEA COAST OF THAILAND Sampan Panjarat The United Nations-Nippon Foundation Fellowship Programme 2007 - 2008 DIVISION FOR OCEAN AFFAIRS AND THE LAW OF THE SEA OFFICE OF LEGAL AFFAIRS, THE UNITED NATIONS NEW YORK, 2008 DISCLAIMER The views expressed herein are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Government of Thailand, the United Nations, the Nippon Foundation of Japan, or the University of Rhode Island. © 2008 Sampan Panjarat. All rights reserved. i Abstract Thailand is facing several fisheries problems. They include the depletion of fishery resources, overfishing, excessive fishing effort, conflicts among the fishers and violation of regulations and illegal fishing. Furthermore, the fuel crisis since 2001, and the tsunami event on 26 December 2004 have impacted fishery activities significantly. It is anticipated that the fisheries problems will continue with significant effect on the economy of Thailand and the lives of fishers unless adequate measures for sustaining marine resources are developed. This study addresses the fisheries problems and considers solutions for sustainable use of the fisheries resources. This study focuses on the fisheries status of Thailand and the Andaman Sea coast. Fisheries law at both the global and regional level are examined as they relate to Thai fisheries. And this study considers how these principles can be used to develop effective instruments for fisheries management, concluding with recommendations for sustainable fisheries management in Thailand. ii Summary WORKING TITLE: Sustainable Fisheries in the Andaman Sea Coast of Thailand SUPERVISORS: Prof. Lawrence Juda Dr. Francois Bailet iii Acronyms AFRDEC Andaman Fisheries Research and Development Center APFIC Asia-Pacific Fisheries Committee AQD Aquaculture Department ASEAN Association of Southeast Asian Nations BOBP Bay of Bengal Programme BOBLME Bay of Bengal Large Marine Ecosystem CPUE Catch per Unit of Effort CCRF Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries COBSEA Coordinating Body in the Sea of East Asia COFI FAO Committee of Fisheries DMCR Department of Marine and Coastal Resources DOF Department of Fisheries EAS/RCU East Asian Seas Regional Coordinating Unit EEPSEA Economy and Environment Program for Southeast Asia EEZ Exclusive Economic Zone FADs Fish Aggregating Devices FAO Food and Agriculture Organization FCG Fisheries Consultative Group meeting GDP Gross Domestic Product GEF Global Environment Facility GPP Gross Provincial Product ICLARM International Center for Living Aquatic Resources Management IOTC Indian Ocean Tuna Commission IPOA International Plans of Action ITLOS International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea IUU Illegal Unreported and Unregulated LL/GDS Landlocked/Geographic Disadvantage State LMEs Large Marine Ecosystems LOSC Law of the Sea Convention MFRDMD Marine Fishery Resources Development and Management Department MNPs Marine National Parks MSY Maximum Sustainable Yield NESDB National Economic and Social Development Board NGOs Non Government Organizations NOAA National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration NPOAs National Plans of Action NSO National Statistics Organization OFCF Overseas Fisheries Cooperation Foundation RFMOs Regional Fisheries Management Organizations SAP Strategic Action Plan SEAFDEC Southeast Asian Fishery Development Centre SIDA Swedish International Development Agency iv TACs Total Allowable Catch TD Training Department TDAs Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis TDRI Thailand Development Research Institute TLRC Thai Law Reform Commission UN United Nations UNCED United Nations Conference on Environmental and Development UNCLOS III Third United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea UNDP United Nations Development Programme UNEP United Nations Environment Programme UNFSA United Nations Fish Stocks Agreement USAID United States Agency for International Development USD US Dollar WWF World Wildlife Foundation v Acknowledgements The academic part of my fellowship was undertaken at the Department of Marine Affairs, University of Rhode Island, Rhode Island, United States of America. I wish to extend my sincere thanks to my supervisor, Prof. Lawrence Juda, Director of the Department of Marine Affairs, for his support and professional guidance during the six months of my academic studies. Many thanks to Prof. Richard B. Pollnac, Prof. Richard Burroughs, Brian Crawford, Dr. James Tobey and Dr. Seth Markinko for the valuable assistances as well as the warm hospitality they have provided. Also thanks to Dawn Kotowicz, Kate Mulvaney and Azure Westwood, the officers, staff and students of the Department of Marine Affairs who have been my good friends and supporters. I would like to deeply thank Dr. Francois Bailet, the United Nations Program Advisor, for his valuable assistance, guidance and all the time he dedicated to me. I also must thank André Tahindro, the senior law of the sea and ocean affairs officer, for his valuable guidance. Also thanks to the officers and staff of the United Nations Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea for all of their support and specially the opportunity for me to learn and understand the important role of the Division in providing advice, studies, assistance and research on the implementation of the Law of the Sea Convention. Lastly, special thanks to The Nippon Foundation of Japan for its kind support to this fellowship program. vi Table of Contents Abstract............................................................................................................................................... ii Summary............................................................................................................................................ iii Acronyms .......................................................................................................................................... iv Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................................... vi Table of Contents.............................................................................................................................. vii List of Figures..................................................................................................................................... x List of Tables ..................................................................................................................................... xi Part I Introduction.......................................................................................................................1 Part II Thailand: The Physical Profile ........................................................................................3 A. Geography .......................................................................................................................3 B. Biodiversity......................................................................................................................5 C. Marine Fisheries Resources Potential and Trend.............................................................8 1. In the Thai territorial sea and EEZ................................................................................9 (a) Pelagic Fish............................................................................................................12 (b) Demersal Fish........................................................................................................16 (c) Cephalopod............................................................................................................17 (d) Crustaceans............................................................................................................18 2. Fishing outside the EEZ of Thailand ..........................................................................20 (a) EEZs of other coastal States ..................................................................................20 (b) High Sea Fisheries.................................................................................................23 Part III Status of Fisheries of the Andaman Sea Coast of Thailand.........................................25 A. Introduction ...................................................................................................................25 B. Social Structure of Fisheries Communities in the Andaman Sea Coast ........................26 C. The Structure of Fisheries in the Andaman Sea Coast...................................................33 1. The Nature of Fisheries...............................................................................................33 (a) Commercial fisheries.............................................................................................37 (b) Small scale fisheries ..............................................................................................38 2. Stress Factors and Problems .......................................................................................40 (a) Tsunami..................................................................................................................40 (b) Fuel crisis ..............................................................................................................42 (c) Violation of regulations and illegal fishing ...........................................................44 vii Part IV Fisheries Law and Policy............................................................................................47 A. The