Rayong’s Fisheries Office chief Seri Ruanla said 2,660 fishermen have been severely affected by the 50,000-liter crude oil spill from the underwater pipeline owned by Star Petroleum Refining PCL (SPRC). He said fish supply in the area was significantly hit, while the rest of their catch was unsellable due to contamination.
Mr. Seri revealed many fishermen haven’t been able to make a living since the incident, as fish have mostly disappeared from their usual fishing spots. He stressed many fishermen have to go farther or even stop fishing entirely.
He added consumers have also been overwhelmed by concerns about contaminated seafood which reduced the demand for seafood caught in Rayong, despite the fact that they are caught further away from the affected area.
According to the Fisheries Office, it is currently surveying the number of affected fishermen to prepare an urgent mitigation plan that will be submitted to the governor.
Meanwhile, the director-general of the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources, SoponThongdee, said the department had assigned patrol teams to explore the Rayong coastline. They reported that none of the slicks were found in the area.
To further examine and secure the situation in the area, government agencies, tourism businesses, and environmental organizations will team up for the mission. (NNT)
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