SEAFDEC Training Department (SEAFDEC/TD), conducted a preliminary field survey in Bangsaphan District, Prachuap Khiri Khan Province, from 15 to 18 July 2025, as part of the five years project “Improving Fishers’ Livelihood and Fisheries Co-Management in Inland and Coastal Small-Scale Fisheries” (2025–2029), supported by the Japanese Trust Fund (JTF). The main objective of the survey was to assess the suitability of Bangsaphan as a potential pilot site for the implementation of Community-Based Fisheries Management (CBFM) and co-management practices in small-scale coastal fisheries. The field assessment focused on understanding current fisheries practices, evaluating community readiness and leadership capacity, and identifying opportunities for livelihood diversification and sustainable resource management.
The four-day field survey involved a team comprising three staff from SEAFDEC/TD, the Bangsaphan District Fisheries Officer, and a fisheries officer from the Chumphon Marine Fisheries Research and Development Center. The team engaged with 28 participants from nine coastal fishing groups across three sub-districts of Bangsaphan District, as well as with local stakeholders, through interviews, focus group discussions, and site visits. Local stakeholders, including community leaders and fisheries resource users, provided valuable information on the area’s socioeconomic and environmental conditions, as well as its existing co-management systems. The survey concluded with the identification of key preliminary findings, highlighting community strengths and challenges, and produced a stakeholder map to support future collaboration. These findings will contribute to the final selection of the pilot site and help shape the project’s implementation strategy in the target area.
