of Ban Don Bay and Phangnga Bay, Thailand - WorldFish Center

Table 3.7. Shrimp production (t) in Krabi, 1978-1983.
Year No, of farms Area (ha) Quantsty Value
(2)
(X 1,000 baht)
-
Source: DOF (1986).
Mariculture in the Upper South has also declined possibly due to water quality
degradation of farming areas (TDRI 1987). Moreover, the areas are subjected to runoff from the
four main rivers in the Central Plain. The Ban Don Bay area has a relatively good water quality
as pollution from industrial sites and agricultural areas is minimal compared to the upper gulf
area (JICA 1985).
The development of the Upper South will have an apparent impact on the aquaculture
activities such as siltation resulting from coastal dredging and tin mining in the west coast as
well as domestic and industrial pollution due to population increase, tourism and
industrialization. Such resource use conflicts are often due to sectoral miscoordination. Thus,
closer coordination among concerned government agencies and stricter enforcement of
environmental protection regulations are essential. A comprehensive plan is also necessary to
ensure optimal use of the coastal zone (ADB 1985).
Shrimp
Ban Don has an abundance of natural stocks of shrimp larvae, including the
economically important species Penaeus rnonodon and P. rnerguiensis, and ismore suitable for
the development of shrimp farms than the west coast. In 1977, the total shrimp culture area
was about 250 ha with 19 farms; production was about 50 t with a value of 897,000 baht.
Shrimp culture developed very rapidly in the area with support from both the Asian Development
Bank (ADB) and the World Bank. This led to the allocation of areas for shrimp culture to poor
fishermen in 1983. The culture area was increased to more than 3,260 ha with 273 farms (Table
3.8). ADB financed the brackishwater shrimplfish pond estate resettlement project amounting to
US$14 million with the Department of Cooperatives Promotion, DOF and BAAC as executing
agencies. This project involved the construction of shrimp farms in Surat Thani and Nakhon Si
Thammarat. The World Bank financed a similar project in Surat Thani adjacent to the ADB
project with 54 farms (ADB 1985). In the Andaman Sea side, only Krabi has extensive shrimp
farms.
Table 3.8. Shrimp production (t) in Surat Thani
Source: DOF (1986).
Value
(X f ,dm 'bhtl
897.01
895.64
1,391 -20
15,748.26
10,920.35
8,793.38
20,051 -71
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