Thailand: Rayong seafood industry reels from oil spill crisis

Bangkok Post 3 Aug 13;

RAYONG : Demand for seafood has plunged on the back of last week's oil spill, while local fisherman fear the disaster's long-term environmental impacts could devastate their industry.


Werasak Dolnarong, a member of Rayong's local fishermen network, said fishing incomes had fallen since the leak took place last Saturday. He said there had been a sharp drop in seafood consumption in the province.

However, he noted this was only a short-term effect of the spill.

Mr Werasak said he was more concerned about the long-term consequences of the oil slick on marine ecology and fishing stocks.

Authorities were warning the slick would soon hit Mr Werasak's home town of Ban Pe in Rayong's Muang district.

As of press time yesterday, however, the toxic black sludge had yet to arrive.

"So far, there is no clear study on the damage to marine ecology and how long it will take to recover," Mr Werasak said.

"If recovery takes a long time, or if the damage is irreversible, fishermen will be the hardest-hit group."

A seafood merchant at Suan Son beach, also in tambon Ban Pe, said seafood prices had dropped sharply since the oil leak, as news about crude oil contamination had driven away tourists and seafood buyers.

The vendor said her income had halved since the spill.

The Fishery Department has assured consumers that Rayong seafood is safe as the oil slick affected only a limited area.

The department said the slick had affected about 100 sq km of the fishery zone.

Five of the department's artificial coral reef sites, covering about 15 sq km, were also damaged.

An initial survey conducted by the department found 534 local fishermen were hit by the spill and the subsequent drop in seafood prices.

These fishermen usually earned 1,200-1,500 baht per day.

Fishery officials have been keeping a close watch on possible damage to 45 fish and shellfish farms in Ao Pe, Ban Pak Klong Kreng and Pak Klong Lawon.

Ratana Munprasit, director of the Centre for Fishery Research and Development in the Eastern Gulf of Thailand, said there had been no reports of oil contamination of marine animals in areas other than Koh Samet's Ao Phrao, where a large quantity of oil washed up on Sunday.

She added the department had collected sea water and marine animal samples on Koh Samet every day since the spill and had so far found no toxic contamination.

Fishery Department chief Wimol Jantrarotai on Thursday said the long-term impact of the oil slick on marine ecology must be closely monitored.

"We can't tell yet what will happen [to marine life] in the long run," he said. He admitted the use of dispersant chemicals could be harmful to marine life.

Scientists have warned the dispersants can become more toxic when mixed with oil.

Rayong governor Wichit Chartprasit said the province had set up a centre to hear complaints from people effected by the oil spill. About 200 people - 90% of them fishermen - had registered with the centre so far, he said.

Meanwhile, the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources yesterday said a preliminary study on marine ecological damage would be completed next week.

Pinsak Suraswadi, a member of the department's special taskforce dealing with the spill, said the study would focus on coral reef sites at Ao Phrao.

"There is no scientific method to repair damaged coral reef. Only nature and time can heal them, but this means human activities must be minimised," he said.

He could not tell how long Ao Phrao would need to close for to allow the marine ecology to rehabilitate, as that would depend on the severity of the damage.

Thai oil spill to enter food chain in '3 months'
Pongphon Sarnsamak ,The Nation/Asia News Network China Post 4 Aug 13;

Thailand's state health agency has said it will study the impact of the oil spill on marine life around Koh Samet's Ao Phrao in Rayong province, saying toxic substances from the crude oil may enter the food chain in the next three months.

The Natural Resources and Environment Ministry has also set up a committee to monitor the environmental impacts of the spill.

“Chaired by the ministry's permanent secretary Chote Trachu, the committee comprises representatives from other relevant agencies such as the Pollution Control Department and the Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning. Also on the panel are academics from many universities,” Marine and Coastal Resources Department director-general Noppon Srisuk said Friday.

His department has been given the job of assessing the leak's impact on coral reefs and sea grass around Koh Samet. The assignment also covers efforts to determine why marine life was found beached and dead in the area.

PTT Global Chemical (PTTGC), the company behind the spill, will kick off another cleaning session on Monday and is calling for volunteers.

Meanwhile, Disease Control Department director-general Dr. Pornthep Siriwanarangsun will collect random samples of seafood around the affected areas to see if it is safe for consumption.

“It is too early to say the marine aquatic animals living around the affected areas have been tainted with hazardous substances such as lead, cadmium or nickel.

“It will take at least three months for marine life, such as plankton — the main food for many aquatic animals — to be contaminated,” he said.

He also suggested that people cook seafood longer and at high temperatures to reduce any toxicity. Hazardous substances from the crude oil can have short-term health impacts such as dizziness and depression as well as longer-term problems such as effects on both red and white blood cells, Pornthep said.

Since the Ao Phrao beach clean-up began on Monday, the department reported that up to 70 workers had developed symptoms such as nausea and dizziness and had to be taken to hospital in Map Ta Phut. Officials have advised people participating in the clean-up not to spend more than eight hours at the affected site.

Close Eye on Health Impacts

To monitor the impact the spilled oil is having on the cleaning team, officials have collected urine samples from some 1,275 people at the site.

The results should be released next week.

After five days since the crude oil washed up on the shores of Ao Phrao, sand that was completely black is now looking cleaner and is expected to return to its normal condition in the near future.

Meanwhile, more than 200 big bags containing oil-tainted sand were taken to the Siam City Cement factory for disposal.

Separately, Sumet Saithong, chief of the Khao Laem Ya-Koh Samet Marine National Park, said his team had surveyed up to 70 percent of the coral reef in the area as of Thursday. The survey will be analyzed by experts to see exactly what happened under the sea in the affected site and nearby areas.

PTTGC President Bowon Vongsinudom said Ao Phrao beach should be cleaned up by next week.

He added that all waste should be shipped out of the island by today under the watchful eye of the Pollution Control Department.

He also said the thin film of oil on the surface should naturally dissolve over time.

Government agencies will inspect the area once the cleanup is complete. Bowon said the company was in the process of drafting a rehabilitation plan, which requires the Rayong provincial authorities' approval.