News

    Nakhon Si Thammarat deputy governor, Mr. Trairat Chairat, opened the 2nd Amazing Crab Feeder Nakhon Si Thammarat festival with Asst Prof.Dr. Amonsak Sawusdee, Director of The Center for Academic Service Walailak University, Mr. Pornsak Sakthani, Provincial Fishery Office, heads of government sectors, representatives of the public, private and community sectors joining the ceremony at the Promotion Hall, 1st Floor, Central Plaza Nakhon Si Thammarat on 22 January 2022. 
Asst. Prof.Dr. Amonsak Sawusdee, Director of The Center for Academic Service Walailak University as head of the Blue Crab Bank said that the 2nd Amazing Crab Feeder festival of Nakhon Si Thammarat was organized under collaboration and financial support by National Research Council of Thailand (NRCT) to operate the Blue Crab Bank. The project has promoted local economy BCG in the province of Nakhon Si Thammarat resulting in a large-scale restoration of blue crab resources to Thailand’s maritime space. Locals were able to catch a larger volume of crabs constituting an increase of the household income by 20%. Under the operation of this project coordinated by multiple sectors namely government, private and local sectors. The Blue Crab Bank under collaboration between WU and NRCT has been playing a pivotal role in strengthening the mechanism of the communities as well as abundance of the local natural resources which is considered the post-pandemic era’s key element to self-sustainability. 
    Asst Prof.Dr. Amonsak said, “This project has succeeded in establishing 19 Blue Crab Banks accompanied by 5 Blue Crab Bank Learning Centers”. There was a release of blue crabs within the 10 month-period of the project operation. Approximately 89 blue crabs with eggs outside their shells were deposited into each of the banks. The record suggested that a total of 15,837 blue crabs were successfully brought into the breeding process and subsequently released to the natural habitats. Taking the number of blue crab breeders into account, the number rose to a total of 64,362. The locals practicing fishery released blue crabs back to nature 13 times per month. In addition, the local fishermen were trained to not just grasp the concept but thorough understanding of fishery biology to increase a survival rate as well as guidelines on managing blue crab resources and other local marine resources. 
    The project operates in line with local tourism characterized by local identity-defining tourism plans divided into 8 menus. There have also been online purchase channels and the making of A Communal Blue Crab’s egg-separating machine. In the event, there were booths selling fresh blue crabs, local seafood products, Blue Crab’s Eggs Lucky Draw and a presentation on the results of the One Tumbon One University Product project undertaken by Walailak University. In Phase one, there were four service areas in the south comprising 36 sub-districts. 

 News by Nootchanat Sukkaew, Division of Corperate Communication