SDG Impact Detail

Support or organise events aimed to promote conservation and sustainable utilisation of the oceans, seas, lakes, rivers and marine resources

        The research project, titled "Enhancing the Potential of Blue Crab Banks to Restore Coastal Resources and Related Activities that Create Value and Economic Worth in Chumphon Province" , conducted by Asst.Prof.Dr. Sirusa Kritsanapuntu, Faculty of Science and Industrial Technology, Prince of Songkla University, Surat Thani Campus, and ran from May 2024 to March 2025. The project focuses on leveraging local wisdom and research knowledge to support Blue Crab Banks in restoring the blue crab population, a significant economic marine species. 

        The project involved 16 Blue Crab Banks , including 14 in Chumphon province (in Pathio, Mueang, and Lamae districts) and 2 in Surat Thani province (in Mueang and Kanchanadit districts). Activities included organizing workshops with schools, such as "Learning Blue Crab Banks... Returning Crabs to Our Sea," conducted in collaboration with Medco Energy Thailand (Bualuang) Limited for 8 schools. Coastal resource conservation activities were held with networks and partners, including releasing berried crabs and larvae, cleaning up beaches (e.g., on Environment Day, June 5, 2024), and various campaigns like "Do not eat, catch, buy, or sell small blue crabs" with the Chumphon Provincial Fisheries Office. Events were also held to honor the King and Queen Mother. Promotional video clips showcasing the local cultural connection to the Blue Crab Bank activities were created and shared on social media (Facebook and TikTok) to attract tourists and support the local economy. Blue Crab Gyoza was developed, highlighting local blue crabs resulting from conservation efforts, and is now accepted and sold by Blue Crab Bank networks in Chonburi and Chumphon. The recipe was also transferred to the community tourism enterprise on Koh Sichang and Chia Farm in Mueang Chumphon. Photosynthetic Microbial Fertilizer made from blue crab remnants proved effective for use in low-cost, non-toxic hydroponic salad cultivation. The project’s activities led to Lamae Wittaya School in Lamae District, Chumphon, becoming a model educational institution for integrating marine knowledge and national maritime interests into its curriculum in 2024.

        The long-term sustainability of Blue Crab Bank activities is rooted in community readiness, leadership, and cooperation with relevant public and private organizations. Promoting learning, sharing wisdom, and boosting morale among bank members are key motivators for conservation. Furthermore, fostering a sense of sacrifice and awareness of resource overexploitation, especially among youth, along with implementing social measures (like the campaign against catching small crabs and encouraging the release of berried crabs), strengthens the community’s self-reliance, which is a vital foundation for national development.