Report on monitoring and evaluation co-management project at Nam Oon Dam management

Date: 24-27 February 2016

Venue: Sakon Nakhon Province, Thailand

Objectives

1. Present the results of satisfaction on Co-management project at Nam Oon Dam; and

2. Monitoring and evaluation on number of illegal fishing, after establish close season measurement; and

3. Monitoring fish catch by logbook with fishermen and middleman; and

4. Monitoring on conservation and prohibit area in Nam Oon Dam, which under proclamation process by Head of Provincial; and

5. Follow up all co-management activities by fisheries communities

Result

Meeting at Nam Oon Dam Fishery Management Unit

SEAFDEC/TD, DOF from Head Quarter and Local Fisheries Officers of Nam Oon Dam Unit organized the meeting at Nam Oon Dam Fishery Management Unit on the plan of this trip. The meeting discussed on the work plan that conducted in the 4 points with 16 communities. At the meeting, SEAFDEC would present on the result of attitude and satisfaction on co-management measure of close season including the fish catch logbook that were collected from last trip in Nam Oon Dam. Moreover, DOF would present the fishers on new Thai fishery laws as well as the progress and way forward of Nam Oon Dam. In addition, DOF would also release Giant tiger prawn and Mekong giant catfish at Baan Thai Charean and Baan Na than respectively.

Meeting and Discussion with Fisheries Community

The meeting was organized at 4 points along the Nam Oon Dam. In each point, the meeting started by introducing the DOF and SEAFDEC staff. Then, Mr. Surachai Sermsuk, Head of Nam Oon Fisheries Management Unit mentioned about the progress of the Nam Oon Dam project since started 2014 cooperated with fishers to establish the community's rule. After that, SEAFDEC staff presented on the result of attitude and satisfaction on co-management measure of close season including the fish catch logbook that were collected from last trip.

The result from the satisfaction questionnaire show that 89% of the respondents agree that the fish product is increasing and 76% agree that fish has bigger size. The respondents (96%) satisfied to move the period for prohibited the fishing ground from 16 May-15 September to be 16 April-15 August. 97% of the respondents satisfied on the conservation areas and close season for spawning ground. The respondents more than 90% also satisfied on the fishing gears measure that prohibited during the close season and allow some fishing gears for every 10, 20, and 30 in each month. Furthermore, the income of the respondents (91%) increasing after announced the community's rule. The respondents satisfied the implementation by DOF in order to promote and announce the new measurement at Nam Oon Dam including to control the illegal fishing by patrolling. In addition, the respondents suggested that DOF should release fish and establish more conservation area including clearing on the conservation boundary in Nam Oon Dam.

For the catch volume, SEAFDEC and DOF made the catch logbook and distributed to volunteer fishers to record their catch fish in every fishing day. The first period was before close season (1 March-15 April 2016) that had been collected, analyzed and inform to the fishers. The second period was after close season (16 August-14 November 2016), 32 volunteer fishers recorded their fish catch into logbook. In this trip, SEAFDEC presented the fishers on the result of second period. The result show that main fishing gears of point No. 1, 2 and 4 are gillnet and longline while point No.3 are gillnet and trap. Total catch of four points is 9,546.8 kg which the highest volume is point No. 1 (2,635.5 kg) but the total catch per trip is point No. 3 (8.7 kg/trip). 

Table 1 The catch volume of each point

Point No.	Villages	No. of volunteer fishers	Total catch	No. trip (3 months)	Total catch (kg/trip)
1	Baan Na than, Baan Hui bun, Baan Na Lao, and Baan Nong Phue	8	2,635.5	312	8.4
2	Baan Kok Manow, Baan Nong Phaktiam, Baan Klang, and Baan Kok Sung	8	2,567.0	333	7.7
3	Baan Thai Charean, Baan Na Kham, Baan Nong Pling, and Baan Kud Takap	8	2,441.5	282	8.7
4	Baan Dong Kum Pho, Baan Na Chuak, Baan Nong Bua, and Baan Klouy Pakuay	8	1,902.8	226	8.4
Total		32	9,546.8	288	8.3

The result can show the main species in each point. At point No. 1, the main species are Mud crap and Silver barb. While point No. 2, the main species are Mud crap and Spotted featherback. The main species at point No. 3 are Nile tilapia and Silver barb. The main species at point No. 4 are Silver barb and Indian river barb. For fish utilization, most of the respondents sell fish by themselves and sell to middlemen. They also keep some fish production for their consumption by processing (such as dry fish, fermented fish). In addition, after presented the result of the survey, DOF kindly presented on the new Thai Fishery law including the punishments for illegal fishing. 

Furthermore, there were fish and shrimp releasing in two communities. DOF released Giant tiger prawn at Baan Thai Charean and Mekong giant catfish at Baan Na than. This activity can encourage local fishers to participate and increase their awareness on the importance of resources.