The Attitude of Local Government Organizations and External Agencies on Set-net Fisheries and its Technology Transfer for Coastal Fisheries Management

Abstract

This paper mainly aimed to study and assess the attitude of local government institutions/organizations and agencies on the set-net project and fisheries after the project had been implemented for five years in Mae Lamphueng beach, Rayong Province, Thailand. Moreover, the possibility of supporting the fishers group to continue this project in the future was also investigated through a questionnaire survey involving 43 respondents that included 4 (9.3%) SEAFDEC officers (external organization), 16 (37.21%) EMDEC/DOF staff, and from the local government institutions: 16 (37.21%) from Taphong TAO and 7 (16.28%) from the Banpae Municipal committee. The results of the questionnaire survey suggested that the advantages and disadvantages of the set-net project could be categorized into four major groups, namely: 1) Gear characteristics; 2) Environmental impact; 3) Socio-economic impact; and 4) Cooperative management. The respondents identified and prioritized the problems related to the fisheries resources in the area that included highly dwindling fishery resources and declining coastal fishery resource biodiversity while some species could already be extinct. The results also showed the attitude and perception of the respondents on the set-net fisheries and project, which were mostly positive and the respondents seemed to agree that the project has been useful to the community, and that the fishermen had also improved their livelihood after the project was implemented. Moreover, the local organizations such as the Banpae Municipality and TAO Taphong have indicated the possibility of higher budget support in the future for the set-net fisheries or any related fisheries projects for the community than the other organizations or institutions involved in the project. The local organizations also expressed their willingness to do and support such activities as information exchange, coordination among other sectors, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, and participation in the decision making process, etc. However, some risks or difficulties were also identified by the respondents specifically from the concerned organizations’ points of view. They suggested that the fishers group should be more serious and more concerned with the group and cooperative management, and also in benefit sharing and financial system of the set-net fishers group for the sustainable implementation of the project in the future.