Royal Marine Research Institute

While we were visiting Koh Sichang, my wife and I decided to stop by the Royal Maritime Research Institute, which is located along a rocky coast on the island.

The institute is operated jointly by Chulalongkorn University (my wife's alma mater) and the Royal Household.

When we arrived, we spent a few moments admiring the fish tanks (which held a number of remarkable exotic clownfish and other rare fish from the Gulf of Thailand). Presently, a representative of the organization arrived offering to show us around.

The intern told us all about the conservation efforts of the royal project, which is instrumental in the breeding and rehabilitation programs on the island.

She asked if we would like to help a rare local sponge propagate. Of course, we said yes!

The intern gave us a small concrete pot with a tiny clipping of the rare local sponge affixed to its top. We wrote a short message on the pot...

... then we placed the sponge and its pot into a nursery tank where it could grow and thrive.

This organization both releases baby crabs into the gulf and rehabilitates and repropagates native baby sponges in order to heal and restore the Gulf of Thailand.

sponges in the nursery

Specifically, the institute focuses on reintroducing the native crab population to the Thai gulf.

Overfishing is a big problem in Thailand, but this institute is doing what it can to solve the issue. It offers incentives to fishermen who haul up pregnant crabs in their nets. The institute will reimburse fishermen who haul crabs with eggs and will take care of the crabs until the babies are born and hatched.

After the crabs are old enough to survive on their own, the institute releases them back into the gulf through a long chute. This is a way to be more sustainable both to the local fishing industry and also to the conservation of the gulf.