The sea fan is carefully brought out of water to make sure that they are not damaged before marine biologists from Phuket marine Biological centre or PMBC take them to re-submerge in appropriate location for its development.
The fertility of sea water off Chalong bay on the south side of Phuket island leads to several high value aqua cultivation farming by local fishermen. The factor also lead to the discovery of sea fan around here.
Under the floating fish farm belong to Charoon Konsapyu, lies the sea fan of Melithaea family. With the effort to preserve the marine life, the owner then cooperates with PMBC Marine biologist to remove over 50 sea fan to replant in the deep sea. This is carried out under the ‘Return Sea fan back to Sea’ program, the joint operation carried out by PMBC and Green Fin project.
Thepsuda Loyjiew / project coordinator
‘The Sea Fan found here is of Melithaea family which grows in shallow water of approximately 5-10 metres in depth. This is probably due to the amount of food as it’s a fish farm. The Sea Fan usually takes micro animal such as plankton as food. The fertility of the farming cages here is one factor of its development.’
The fertility of food and water condition at Chalong bay is also beneficial to high value seafood or aqua animal cultivation. That leads to good farming of lobsters and fishes. The sea food from this farm feeds local restaurants.
Jaroon Konsapyu / local fisherman
‘It’s a egg laying location as you can see when we lift up the sea fan there are plenty of baby fishes and shrimps. This enable easier breeding for us as after being laid, eggs would reside in the Sea Fan branch which is an ideal shelter to hide away from big fishes.’
Sea Fan is reportedly any of a genus of invertebrate marine animals. It is a variety of coral composed of numerous polyps—cylindrical sessile (attached) forms—that grow together in a flat, fanlike pattern. Each polyp in the colony has some multiple of six tentacles, as opposed to the eightfold symmetry. The central internal skeleton, composed of a flexible, horny substance called gorgonin, supports all branches of the colony, and the living tissues form a layer over its entire surface. The tissues are often colored in hues of red, yellow, or orange
The PMBC replants the sea fan as well as carry out research study on its lifecycle to seek good way to preserve it. The efforts follow the reclining of the sea fan population both in the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman Sea as people like them as decorative items and some amulet. In fact they should help conserve natural marine resources to keep balance the ecological system undersea.
weekly Andaman News NBT TV (VHF dial) at 8.30am & repeated on satellite C Band (usually net black) frequency 4134 Mhz at symbolate 2530 at 1pm & perhaps repeats on Phuket Cable TV channel 1 at 3.30pm, 7pm, 1.30am & 6.30am, broadcast to Phang Nga, Krabi & Phuket provinces , Friday 26th February 2010 & http://thainews.prd.go.th/newsenglish/ & www.YouTube.com/AndamanNews Send comments to AndamanNews@yahoo.com
Reporter : TV Phuket
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