Study Report on Area Context and Socio-Economic Conditions of Coastal Communities in Suratthani Province: Fisheries Refugia Management for Short Mackerel in Suratthani Site

This report is under the SEAFDEC/UNEP/GEF Project on “Establishment and Operation of a Regional System of Fisheries Refugia in the South China Sea and Gulf of Thailand”Study on the area context and socio-economic conditions of coastal communities in Surat Thani Province aimed at preparing the database for evaluation of Fisheries Refugia Project, the concept of which is promoting good governance for sustainable fisheries management based on ecosystem approach with its goal at creating human security in fishery sector in linkage with the Sustainable Development Goals – SDGs Goal 1, 2, 5, and 14. The study was conducted by collecting secondary data from related study reports and documents, as well as in-depth interviews with both male and female fishers. Focus group meetings among fishers of different fishing gears and different economic status were also conducted in the fishing communities that depend on blue swimming crab fisheries which were involved in 7 coastal districts of Surat Thani Province. The study found that Ban Don Bay is a suitable habitat for blue swimming crab due to its conditions. Moreover, the study found that gill nets and traps for blue swimming crab are the most dominant small-scale fishing gears in Ban Don Bay. In terms of economic aspects, the average incomes and expenses of small-scale blue swimming crab fishing households are higher than those of the general small-scale fishing households in the Bay. However, fishing pressure has resulted in the decrease of the size at first maturity of blue swimming crab in the area.UNEP/GE