Thailand protects rare marine species

PHUKET, February 23 (TNA) - Thailand's Phuket Marine Biological Centre (PMBC), along with the Centre 6 of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment's Department of Marine and Coastal Resources held a meeting in the southern Thai resort province on Saturday to discuss the problem of higher death rates of rare marine species, including, sea cow, sea turtle and dolphin. Dr. Patcharaporn Kaewmong, a specialist at the PMBC, said that 11 sea cows were found dead at sea in 2012 alone, the highest rate in two decades. The sea cow's biological information showed that with a death rate of only 5 per cent, its population growth could stop, as there would not be enough adult sea cows to mate. The discussion then planned to reduce the death rate of sea cows to lower than 5 per cent, by setting up a team to closely monitor the death rates of rare marine species of sea cow, dolphin and sea turtle. Besides, the panel also discussed using seagrass areas in Phuket as a safe haven and habitat for sea cows. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives's Department of Fishery planted more artificial reefs in the Gulf of Thailand, off Nakhon Si Thammarat and Songkhla Provinces, to support breeding of marine species for the sake of food security and environmental conservation purposes in the country. The Department of Fishery has already planted artificial reefs in 23 areas in the Gulf of Thailand, covering a total of 192 square kilometres.(TNA)