Illustrative photo (Photo: thaipbsworld.com)Bangkok (VNA) – The Fisheries Department under Thailand's Ministry for Agriculture and Cooperatives has announced a 3-monthcommercial fishing restriction in the Gulf of Thailand starting February 15 toprotect spawning mackerel and to allow their fry to mature.
The controls cover about 26,400 sq.m, from the tip of the KhaoMong Lai peninsula of Prachuap Khiri Khan to Don Sak district of Surat Thaniprovince.
The second phase, from May 16 until June 14, covers an area ofabout 8,100 sq.m from the tip of Khao Mong Lai peninsula to Hua Hin in PrachuapKhiri Khan.
Under the restrictions, only small boats with gross weight ofunder 10 tonnes and engine of under 280 horsepower are allowed to fish in thespecified area. Types of equipment that can be used are controlled, such as nofishing nets over 2,500 metres long and a minimum mesh size of 2.5cm.
According to the Fisheries Department, the commercial fishingcontrols imposed last year resulted in an increase in the mackerel populationin the Gulf, as evident in the size of catch last year, estimated at about41,310 tonnes, worth about 3.3 billion THB, compared to 35,708 tonnes in 2022.
A ceremony to mark the start of the fishing limitations will beheld on February 14 at the pier in Paknam sub-district, Chumphon province underthe chair of Minister for Agriculture and Cooperatives of Thailand ThammanatPrompao./.
