Bangkok Post Jan. 28 1999 Dolphins found dead with cuts and bruises Anchovy trawlers suspected by locals Trang Eleven bottle-nosed dolphins were found dead yesterday in a protected coastal zone near the island of Libong. Villagers in Tambon Ko Libong of Kantang district found the dolphins floating belly-up in the no-fishing zone around the island, about 80 kilometres from the main provincial district. Seven of the dead dolphins were retrieved while four others were washed away by strong currents. They were estimated to be about four years old and each weighed 60-70 kilogrammes. Cuts and bruises were found on their bodies. Local villagers believed the animals might have fallen victim to anchovy trawlers using pushnets and dragnets. They said the trawlers came from Songkhla where they were prohibited from fishing for anchovy in the coastal zone. These trawlers fish at night using strong light to attract anchovies. Songkhla's coastal fishermen have accused them of destroying coastal resources with their destructive fishing methods and had protested against them leading to their being banned from that province's coastal waters by the Agriculture Ministry. A fishery source said there were about 69 trawlers now fishing in the sea off Trang. Since the arrival of the trawlers, Ko Libong villagers said, vast areas of coral and sea grass have been damaged and more dead animals found including two recent deaths of dugong, a protected animal. The provincial fishery office has sent six of the dead dolphins to the nearby Phuket Marine Biological and Fisheries Research Institute to determine the cause of death. But contrary to eyewitness accounts, provincial fishery chief Manoon Buathong told Deutsche Presse-Agentur that there were no visible injuries on the dolphins' bodies. "It looked like when whales beach themselves in other countries," said Mr Manoon, describing the death scene. Pisit Chansanoh, chairman of Trang-based Yadfon Association, said bottle-nosed dolphins sometimes could be seen around Libong and Chao Mai islands. But they usually live in groups in the deep sea. He urged the government to get tough with anchovy trawlers using dragnets and pushnets which are destructive to the coastal environment and small fishermen's livelihood. © Copyright The Post Publishing Public Co., Ltd. 1998 Comments to: Webmaster

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