The Second Naval Area Command and volunteers removed about 550 kilograms of fishing nets from coral reefs off Koh Kra Islands in the southern province of Nakhon Si Thammarat.
Volunteer divers, academics from Prince of Songkla University and Walailak University and divers from the Second Naval Area Command conducted the environmental conservation mission near Hin Rua rock on Sept 4-5.
They had four dives on the two days and collected three fishing nets weighing altogether about 550 kilograms. The gillnets covered about 600 square meters of coral reefs 5-15 meters underwater and damaged about 80% of the reefs.
Officials assumed that the fishing nets had been there for over a month.
The Thai Maritime Enforcement Command Center under the Second Naval Area Command and academics will work out plans to rehabilitate the damaged coral reefs. (TNA)