PTTEP and DMCR join forces with communities to set up new “Aquatic Animal Hatchery Learning Center” promoting the conservation of marine resources

18 Jul 2022
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PTT Exploration and Production Public Company Limited (PTTEP), together with the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR), relevant agencies and communities co-presided over the opening ceremony of Aquatic Animal Hatchery Learning Center (Ban Phanoen Group) in Phetchaburi and Aquatic Animal Hatchery Learning Center (Ban Krut Group) in Prachuap Khiri Khan to promote the conservation of aquatic animal resources as well as  fisheries conservation. On this occasion, PTTEP supported funds to build fish homes and the conservation areas to be a habitat for aquatic animals along the coastlines and to release baby blue crabs in order to increase the abundance of marine resources.

PTTEP initiated the “Aquatic Animal Hatchery Learning Center” project in 2013 to restore marine resources and promote sustainable income generation for coastal fisheries under “Ocean for Life” strategy. It aims to establish a total of 19 learning centers in 17 provinces, along the Gulf of Thailand's coast within 2030. At present, there are 11 learning centers, located around the Gulf of Thailand such as Songkhla, Pattani, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Surat Thani, Phetchaburi, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Samut Songkhram, Rayong and Chumphon. More than 9.6 billion crabs have been incubated and released into the sea to increase marine resources. Such effort resulted in average an increase of 80,000 baht per year of household income of the local fishermen, and the network of marine resource conservation groups has been expanded to approximately 2,400 members.