Phuket Builds Own Reefs to Ease Dive Congestion

Pathomporn Kaenkrachang PhuketWan 24 Feb 11;

OFFICIALS were gathering at Phuket's Bang Tao beach today to launch a large artificial reef project, designed to take the pressure of tourist numbers off damaged natural corals.

A total of 1630 large concrete blocks are to be sunk to the ocean bed at a cost of 7.996 million baht. The artificial reef will be in two segments, one at the southern end extending towards Kamala, and the other off Bang Tao.

Each of the ''reefs'' will extend about 1.5 kilometres.

Paitoon Panchaipoorn, of Phuket's Marine Coast Preservation Office, has coordinated the project with the Phuket Provincial Administrative Organistion, local authorities, Marine Transport, the Royal Thai Navy and the Fisheries department.

Experts agree that Phuket needs to create artificial reefs to ensure the long-term future of the natural corals. Increasing numbers of tourists have accelerated damage to the reefs, with a crisis being triggered in April and May last year by the bleaching phenomenon.

The monsoons arrived late, leaving the reefs without cloud cover. As a result, large areas of reefs, especially those in shallow waters, have been damaged and will take years to recover.

Bans have been imposed on some popular dive sites in an effort to speed the return to health of the reefs and tighter controls are envisaged over dive boats.

Phuket's most notable attempt at constructing an appealing artificial reef from old aircraft and helicopters failed in 2008 when tides and fishing trawlers were blamed for breaking up the fuselages.

Artificial reefs sunk off Phuket’s west coast
Phuket Gazette 24 Feb 11;

PHUKET: About 200 concrete cubes were sunk in Bang Tao Bay, on Phuket’s west coast, today as the ongoing artificial reef project resumed.

The current four-day installment, costing 7.9 million baht, aims is to sink 1,630 concrete cubes by sunset on Monday.

The ongoing project is funded by the Phuket Provincial Administration Organization (PPAO) and being carried out by the Phuket Marine and Coastal Resources Conservation Office (MCRC).

“There are 20 sites in Bang Tao Bay and Kamala Bay, all about three kilometers offshore,” MCRC Director Pitul Panchaiyaphum told the Phuket Gazette.

“The sites are not more the 20 meters underwater to ensure divers have good visibility of the reefs [to grow],” he explained.

The artificial reefs are expected to attract fish and other sea creatures within about one month, and to start growing corals after about three years, he said.

In addition to becoming attractions for divers, the reefs will be a boon for local fishermen. Artificial reefs established years ago are now havens for growing numbers of fish, providing local fisherman in some areas with record catches, Mr Pitul said.

The concrete cubes are also expected to deter illegal fishermen from entering the areas.

Measuring 1.5 meters along each side and weighing about one ton apiece, it is hoped the cubes snag large nets used by illegal fishermen.

The cubes are being placed in clusters of 80 to 100 cubes, with each cluster 500 meters to a kilometer apart. “If they were placed separately, they would not be very effective in stopping vessels from illegally fishing in the area,” said Director Pitul.

“We chose Bang Tao and Kamala bays because the areas are critical – there has been much illegal fishing in these waters,” he added.

The next bays to benefit from the ongoing project will be Kata, Karon and Nai Harn.

“We already have the budget from the PPAO. Now we are in the process of getting permission from the Marine Department,” he explained.

Looking ahead, Mr Pitul said he expected more resistance to installing artificial reefs on the east coast.

Before launching the project there, the MCRC must first conduct a survey to determine whether local ecosystems there would benefit from artificial reefs.

Public hearings would also need to be held to gain feedback from local fishermen, tour and boat operators.

“We still have to determine whether any reefs [installed there] would affect local fisheries,” he said.

“And we have to consider not only the local residents, but also business operators such as tourist boat operators and hotels because this project is to benefit everyone,” Director Pitul said.