(a) A monitoring programme for water quality should be established in Laguna de Bay to determine the cause of seasonal milkfish kills. As envisioned, BFAR should be equipped and manned to conduct this project in cooperation with the National Science Development Board (NSDB), Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA), National Pollution Control Commission (NPCC) and other agencies. The SCSP should continue to advise on suitable equipment and techniques for this programme. Also, SCSP should help in the training of technicians to man the programme.
A sampling procedure for Laguna de Bay has already been worked out by SCSP. Prior to the actual purchase of equipment, a coordinated monitoring programme should be worked out in detail with BFAR, LLDA, NPCC and NSDB. This would include not only methods and techniques but sampling stations, schedules, specific agency participation, etc.
The existing studies being conducted in Laguna de Bay are keyed to the lake in general. The monitoring and sampling programme submitted to BFAR by SCSP should be conducted concurrently because its primary objective is to answer the problems associated with fishkills and will be conducted within the portions of the lake where fishpens are concentrated. This type of project design will not result in a duplication of effort but augment the total knowledge of the lake.
Care should be taken to approach this programme with as broad a scope as possible and with an open mind. As an example, the water hyacinth has been considered mainly as a nuisance and a physical hazard to the fish-pens by the pressure produced during periods of high winds. Also to be considered are the shading effects produced by the tremendous mass of these plants, which could result in lower oxygen production. Hyacinth is also capable of removing various substances from lake water which could help or hinder productivity.
(b) The Philippines should consider the possibility of becoming one of the regional centres for pollution studies in the South China Sea area. Many countries favour centralized locations for future international pollution training and chemical pollutant identification. Manila has the facilities and the potential staff to enable it to become an international centre. A cooperative endeavour by the university system and appropriate government agencies could produce an effective nucleus for such a project. The regional pollution workshop held in Penang (April 1976) should give an indication of the above possibility and the Philippines should be encouraged to nominate itself to become an international centre for pollution control. This position of leadership will encourage the Philippines to clean up its own environment and set an example for the rest of the Asian countries.
(a) Efforts should continue to obtain funding for the proposed coastal marine pollution project because of its importance to Thailand's valuable living marine resources. Emphasis should be placed on the close cooperation between the Department of Fisheries which will actually conduct the investigation and the National Environmental Board that coordinates all environmental projects within the country. Priority should be given to organize the project so that it can be phased into the overall national environmental project and thereby become an integral part of the nationwide programme.
Not only the marine division of fisheries should be involved in the study, continued liaison and cooperation with the freshwater division and NIFI should continue. Once a centralized location for laboratory analysis is established for the Department of Fisheries the project will eliminate a great deal of duplication that may arise in the future plus make a stronger contribution to the national environmental programme.
If this project becomes a reality it is strongly recommended that it be used as an example for other Asian countries. Using the Thai project as a template other nations could set up monitoring programmes for their coastal waters so that a base line for future reference could be established.
Most artisanal fisheries depend on the coastal waters. Overfishing has already put a severe strain on the stocks. If monitoring programmes are functional they will allow governments to anticipate areas that may be subject to environmental stress and enable the appropriate government agency to take remedial action before stocks are reduced further by pollution.
(b) Songkhla lake and the surrounding area are very important to southern Thailand economically and environmentally. To ensure the continued integrity of the environment and the economy a continued and intensive ecological survey should be maintained. Initially a one year environmental programme should be undertaken as described in this report (Appendix I).
The Prince of Songhkla University working with NEB should conduct cooperative work with the Department of Irrigation so that maximum knowledge can be amassed concerning the fate of all waters within the watershed influencing Lake Songhkla's ecological profile. This would, of course, include the coastal waters to north and south of the harbour for a minimum of one kilometre and preferably 15–20 kilometres.
Many other government agencies, Department of Fisheries, Department of Meteorology, etc. can also contribute much needed information concerning various inputs that affect the Songhkla system.
Because of Songhkla's importance to southern Thailand careful planning must be done to anticipate environmental effects of any industrial development within the area. Development does not in itself necessarily result in long term improvement either environmentally or economically. Since the lake is so important as a source of freshwater, it plays a major role in the life cycle of many commercially valuable fishery resources and on agricultural activities. The port of Songkhla is vital to the fishing industry of the Gulf of Thailand and continued counsel and liaison should be maintained with the Port Authority to ensure its facilities will keep pace with the demands placed on it.
(c) Phuket is the major port on the west coast of Thailand. It is an important tourist area as well. Due to tin mining's uncontrolled siltation of the coastal region, much of the natural beauty and living resources have been depleted. If a standard programme of surveying the living resources of the area were started, it would help to provide useful information for future development. The Marine Biological Centre at Phuket could act as the executing agency for this data gathering. Visiting investigators, regardless of their aquatic specialty, could contribute to the overall environmental definition of the area.
Nothing can be or should be done to stop tin mining as it is desirable from an economic viewpoint. However, enforcement of regulations requiring retention impoundment for mine tailings at inland mining sites could lessen the siltation problem. Old mining sites should be reclaimed for profitable small scale enterprises, such as fishponds, etc. Indiscriminate timber cutting should also be discouraged to reduce erosion and subsequent further siltation of the coast. Reforestation of denuded areas with new varieties of high quality rubber trees would help in this respect and contribute to the growing rubber industry in Phuket.
Construction of an improved fishing port which is already underway will increase Phuket's capabilities to handle fishery products but sufficient funds will be required for channel maintenance. Diversionary channels, north of the fishing port, to accept water and sediment during the rainy season would reduce channel siltation and, consequently maintenance costs.
The deep water port at Phuket should be located for easy access by sea going vessels plus not requiring costly maintenance dredging. The proposed site of Thaisarco docks is the best of the proposed sites, however, consideration should be given to the new site suggested in the accompanying report (Appendix I).
The prevention and containment of oil spills is paramount in importance. This problem is not limited to anyone country but shared by all nations in the SCS area.
The highest priority must be given to the prevention of oil spills. This action involves the improvement of navigation systems within shipping lanes, more efficient methods of oil transfer from ship to shore (vice-versa) coupled with more sophisticated refinery techniques.
Secondary to prevention is containment. If an oil spill takes place, adequate methods must be available to contain the spill to the smallest area possible and equipment must be capable of removing the oil before natural forces can disperse it to the coastal area.
SCSP being a regional programme, it should initiate, in cooperation with other concerned agencies, ways and means to deal with oil pollution problems that may jeopardize the fisheries of the South China Sea.
Mining operations especially seabed tin mining, pose regional problems. Not only does this type of mining produce siltation but other factors as well that influence the fisheries in the region.
The catch patterns, historically employed by local fishermen, can be seriously affected by changes brought about by new profiles of the sea bed. Bottom currents may be altered, benthic flora and fauna destroyed or changed and water transparency decreased. All of these factors can bring about changes in areas of sea bed mining that could reduce local catches of indigenous and migratory fishes. Efforts should be put forth to determine what these changes are and their magnitude. Inshore fishing could benefit from this type of investigation.
The influence of inland mining on fisheries can be reduced by the incorporation of workable retention impoundments which will entrap sediments and decrease coastal siltation. Sediment ponds have proven reasonably effective in reducing mine tailings if they are backed up by adequate enforcement.
Of all methods used to detect physical and/or oil pollution and categorize environmental areas, aerial and satellite photography have proven to be the most efficient. Efforts should be made to obtain up to date detailed photographs of areas under investigation. With expert interpretation this modern method of analysis will be invaluable. Regional and sub-regional problems, such as those brought about by sea bed mining, can be delineated quickly and efficiently using these methods. Seasonal surveys should be maintained in areas under investigation. Most countries have governmental agencies that can obtain the data required.
A continuing investigation should be planned to evaluate mangrove areas within the region. At the Symposium on Mangrove Ecology, Phuket, Thailand 1976, the importance of mangroves was stressed including that from a pollution standpoint.
In oil spills the mangroves are among the most important productive areas that are first and hardest hit. In tin mining the build up of sediments may be stabilized by the natural or artificial introduction of mangroves. With time, mangroves can produce new coastal lands protecting further out onto the continental shelf and naturally removing the new environment created from further excessive siltation.
In general, the regional pollution workshop on east Asian waters will point out the areas of environmental stress within the region, indicating where the marine environment cannot assimilate manmade changes. Undoubtedly at the conclusion of this workshop a comprehensive plan of action should be drawn up and priorities given to individual national and regional projects. Oil pollution and sea bed mining along with mangrove studies should be given consideration in the future environmental programmes of the region.
