Thailand launches ‘SAVE OUR DUGONG’ campaign, aims to cut human-caused deaths to zero
BANGKOK — 17 August 2026, Thailand’s Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR) has stepped up efforts to protect dugongs after 10 years of data showed 209 strandings, warning that the species faces an increasing risk of extinction. DMCR Director-General Pinsak Suraswadi said the department had launched the “SAVE OUR DUGONG” campaign in line with […] The post Thailand launches ‘SAVE OUR…
BANGKOK — 17 August 2026, Thailand's Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR) has launched the "SAVE OUR DUGONG" campaign to reduce human-caused deaths of dugongs to zero. The campaign targets 12 high-risk areas along Thailand's Andaman coast, where 209 dugong strandings have been recorded over the past decade. DMCR Director-General Pinsak Suraswadi announced two urgent measures: regulating shipping routes and boat speeds, and modifying fishing gear to make it safer for dugongs.
To regulate shipping routes, buoys and navigation markers will be installed in six areas, with speed limits imposed based on distance from shore. Boats will be limited to 5 knots within 1 km, 10 knots within 2 km, and 20 knots within 3 km of the coast. In seagrass areas, the speed limit will be even lower at 5 knots. For fishing gear, single crab traps will be limited to one per buoy and prohibited in seagrass beds.
Rope used in fishing gear will be replaced with high-strength fiber rope and modified to reduce entanglement risks. Deep cuts to dugong muscles will be minimized through adjustments to weak links and excess rope shortening. Large-mesh drifting fish nets will also be prohibited in seagrass beds, and placed at least 1 km away from the edge of seagrass areas.
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