Rehabilitation strategy for fisheries resources and tsunami victims among fishing communities of Thailand

Abstract

On 26 December 2004, a massive earthquake near the coast of the island of Sumatra (Indonesia) triggered a tsunami that caused massive damage to communities around the Indian Ocean, including many along the Andaman Sea coast of Thailand. The Thai Department of Fisheries (DOF) concluded that damage to fisheries-related activities accounted for at least THB 2.5 Billion (USD 62.5 million). Details are given of the development of a Fisheries Rehabilitation Plan by the Thai DOF, which contains 2 schemes: Livelihood Rehabilitation; and Coastal and Fisheries Resource Rehabilitation. The DOF has also been gathering existing information on needs in the form of a database organized at the household level, with focus on fishing communities. The information in the database will be made available through a web-based database, easily accessible by all and used to facilitate matching of support between the donors and beneficiaries.