Acknowledgment to the
“Thailand-China Joint Laboratory for Climate and Marine Ecosystem” and Phuket Marine Biological Center/Thailand

This paper was introduced by Ms. Nuttida Chanthasiri, Researcher of Thailand-China Joint Laboratory for Climate and Marine Ecosystem, from Phuket Marine Biological Center at the 2^nd Meeting of the Regional Scientific and Technical Committee of the SEAFDEC-UNEP-GEF Project on the Establishment and Operation of a Regional System of Fisheries Refugia in the South China Sea and the Gulf of Thailand, held in May 2019 in Kampot, Cambodia. Before her presentation, Mr. Somboon Siriraksophon, Project Director pointed out the importance of ocean modeling to support the establishment and operation of fisheries refugia at national and regional levels. He acknowledged the IOC/WESTPAC and other institution partners that have a long history of working in oceanic data management and developing the modeling system, which could help in predicting the habitats and fisheries resources changes.  For example, algal bloom, coral reef bleaching, predicting sea temperature increase, larval dispersal, predicting the oil spill, etc. He also concluded the 2nd Meeting of the Project Steering Committee held in MIRI, Malaysia, in November 2019 supported the idea to apply the IOC/WESTPAC ocean modeling system to the Fisheries Refugia Project.

Read more ...

The South China Sea and the Gulf of Thailand contribute to high fisheries production, making many countries in the region among the top ten highest producers of fish in the world. It should note that fisheries are an important sector that creates a million jobs in the fisheries industry, produces seafood to the world market, helps a growing country economy, and improves livelihoods of people involved in fisheries. However, it is a fact that the perceived lack of responsible fishing practices and the resultant capture of vast quantities and diversity of non-target species significant effect on the ecosystem. Besides, overfishing threatens fish stocks regionally, reduces biodiversity, alters the ecosystem functioning, and jeopardizes the food security and livelihoods of people. The following describes how one can support healthy oceans by increasing the Blue Swimming Crabs stock changing fishermen attitudes towards responsible fisheries and ecosystem-based approach and usage of social media for effective communication. Even though it addresses one facet of the problematic, it impacts the world oceans is truly transformational; hence we would like to share with the world oceans community on the crucial "WORLD OCEANS DAY."

Read more ...