Dive closures don't go far enough: conservationist

The founder of the For Sea Foundation (FSF) is urging authorities to close dive sites in more national marine parks on the Andaman Sea, claiming the recent closure of 18 sites in seven parks does not go far enough.

The National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department on Thursday announced the measure, which is intended to allow coral reefs bleached by high sea temperatures time to recover.
But in an article titled "Coral Bleaching: Stop Damage and Recover the Rest", FSF founder and Prime Minister's Office secretary Vittayen Muttamara wrote that scientific studies had identified more sites in the Andaman that had been severely damaged by bleaching.
The data, which were used by the department in its decision to close the parks, were collected from the middle of last year.
Vittayen said the studies showed coral reefs in Surin National Marine Park and on the east coast of Similan Island were severely damaged, but the department had closed only two sites in those parks.
"The department should urgently survey all coralreef sites and update their database to decide which sites they should close," Vittayen wrote in the article.
To reduce the impact on the tourism industry, the department has closed only sites that have been severely damaged.
Vittayen said this was nonsense, reasoning that tourists would no longer visit coral reefs that had been even partially damaged by bleaching. Instead, they would visit other sites such as Turutao Island and Adang Rawi Island where the reefs are still in good condition.
Vittayen suggested the department also draft measures to protect sites where coral reefs were still in good condition. "If there are no strong measures to prevent damage, the coral reefs will absolutely, 100 per cent be destroyed."
The department should close all diving sites where coral reefs are damaged and issue measures to control tourists, he said.
For example, the department should not allow snorkelling at coralreef sites, he said. It should control the standard of tourist boats entering national marine parks, announce fees to charge tourists for diving and declare the income it collects from the fees, he said.
Akaraphon Changkon, owner of a diving company in Phang Nga province's Khura Buri district, said his business had been damaged by the closures. All of his customers have cancelled planned visits to coralreef sites, he said.
"We are all in shock about the measures," he said, claiming they were decided without consultation. "Closing diving sites at this time has had the worst impact on us."
Divingbusiness owners are discussing what they will do to tackle the situation.
Meanwhile, Prateeph Jongthong, vice president of Trang Tourism Business Association, said closing diving sites at Chuak Island would not affect tourism in the province because most tourists did not visit reefs.
In a related development, the directorgeneral of the National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department, Sunant Arunnopparat, said the department's announcement naming which diving sites would close contained mistakes.
In the Surin Islands in Phang Nga, the department mistakenly announced the closure of Suthep Bay, Mai Ngam Bay, Koh Stork, Hin Kong, Pakkard Bay and the coralreef site in front of Surin National Marine Park. Those sites will remain open, but Mae Yai Bay, Mang Korn Bay, Chak Bay, Tao Bay and Tor Rin La Bay will close.
In Satun province, the department will close only Bu Lone Mai Phai Island at Petra National Marine Park.