9th International Seagrass Biology Workshop (ISBW9), Thailand: 26 - 30 November 2010

On 26th November, following the WSC, many of the delegates moved to Trang (south Thailand) to participate in the 9th International Seagrass Biology Workshop (ISBW9). Held every 2 years, the ISBW's are a 4 day event which consists of a smaller group of participants, including both international seagrass experts and regional scientists and practitioners, to address problems of seagrass conservation and restoration , which so far are little known across Southeast and South Asia.

The bus trip from Phuket to Trang takes about 5 hours, so delegates were treated to lunch at the Pom Khlong Song Nam nature trail (mangrove board walk).

	Pom Khlong Song Nam nature trail 26 November 2010
	Trang 26 - 30 November 2010

 

ISBW9 was held at the Anantara Resort, Si Kao, near Trang. Trang is one of the oldest towns (cities) in Southern Thailand and is surrounded by extensive rubber tree plantations (the first in Thailand) and extensive shrimp ponds.

Anantara Resort is located on Yong Lin Beach adjacent to Haad Chao Mai National Park (the location of the 1st international Seagrass-Watch training workshop in 1998). Declared a national park in 1981 to protect the mangroves of the area (which were being harvested for charcoal and knocked down to build shrimp ponds), the park also includes the largest seagrass meadows in Thailand and the largest dugong population in the region. So revered are the dugong, that they are the flagship species of Trang. On the shores of Changlang are dugong sculptures and large billboards on the roadsides of Trang help raise awareness of the importance of seagrass ecosystems and the dugong they support.

ISBW9 included delegates from 24 countries and apart from formal presentations, included mini-workshops on approaches to monitoring & managing seagrass in the tropical Asia-Pacific, integrated coastal ecosystem conservation & adaptive management, and restoration of seagrass.

The Welcome dinner was a great chance for delegates to meet and network. Apart from the delicious spicy Thai food, a dance by the local school children which was an enjoyable introduction to local Thai culture.

An important part of all ISBWs is to also enable participants to experience the seagrass resources of the host country. The ISBW9 excursion involed a visit to Laem Yong Lam, Haad Chao Mai National Park.

	Welcome Dinner
	Mini-workshops
	Morakot Cave/Ko Muk village and Haad Chao Mai park 29 November 2010

 

Before visiting the largest seagrass meadow in Thailand, ISBW9 participants visited Morakot Cave (locally known as Tam Nam) (aka the Emerald Cave).

Morakot Cave is on the western side of Ko Muk (Island). The cave is an 80m long tunnel and you enter the cave at low tide through a narrow entrance in the cliff face. As you need to swim through the cave tunnel (and there is no light in the middle of the tunnel), the safest way to do that is to form a “train” by holding onto the person or guide in front. The cave emerges into a natural enclosed amphitheatre within the island (some describe as if you are standing in a volcano). The local people used to collect swallow nests from the cave. Later, pirates hid their treasures in the cave until it was safe to move or sell it.

After leaving Morakot Cave, ISBW9 participants had lunch on the beach at Ko Muk village. Offshore of the village were extensive meadows of Enhalus acoroides, Halodule uninervis, Thalassia hemprichii and Halophila ovalis.

The excursion was completed by visiting the largest seagrass meadow in Thailand at Haad Chao Mai park. Seven species are reported from the area: E. acoroides, H. uninervis and H. ovalis, Cymodocea rotundata, C. serrulata, T. hemprichii and Syringodium isoetifolium. Dugongs are regularly seen in the area and evidence of their feeding (grazing trails) was observed throughout the meadow.

	Morakot Cave
	Ko Muk village
	Haad Chao Mai park

 

World Seagrass Conference, Phuket (Thailand): 21 - 25 November 2010

Seagrass scientists, coastal managers, students and both government and NGO personnel recently gathered in Phuket for the 2nd World Seagrass Conference (November 21 - 25, 2010).

It was an all encompassing international meeting where delegates from 24 countries shared their knowledge and latest research on seagrass ecosystems and how we as a global community can help managed threats to this important resource.

The conference included sessions on seagrass biology, plant-animal interactions, ecophysiology, monitoring and conservation, and management and education.

The venue was the Club Andaman Beach Resort in Patong (Phuket) and included field trips to Pa Khlok and the Koh Pling Sirinat Marine National park. For more information, visit http://www.sc.psu.ac.th/seagrass/

	WCS Phuket
	Field Excursion 24 November 2010

 

Located just south of Phuket airport on the north-western tip of Phuket Island, Sirinat Marine National Park covers an area of aorund 90 square km. The main seagrass and coral is best seen surrounding Nai Yang Island. On arrival at Nai Yang Island, it was pleasing to find Thalassia hemprichii and Cymodocea rotundata meadows covering much of the shallow reef flat to the south. Thalassia hemprichii predominated and looked in pretty good condition, although there were very few invertebrates to be seen. It was soon evident that the area is regularly gleaned with many local vilagers taking advantage of the low tides. Disgarded gill nets and fish traps were also scattered over the intertidal meadow. The Cymodocea rotundata was not looking so great, with nearly 75% cover of epiphytic algae on the leaves.

We were all a little shocked however, with the condition of the coral reef. The brochures said "the coral reefs present in the bay are some of the most pristine found in Phuket province", but this was not to be. It was a very sad reef with live coral cover was probably <1%. Much of the coral reef in the area was devistated by the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami and what appears to be more recent bleaching events (with chronic nutrient inputs discharging from the adjacent resorts). It is hoped that this reef which is so important to the subsistence fishery of the area improves in the near future.

 

Cyrene Reef (Singapore): 07 November 2010

It's time to monitor Cyrene Reef once again!. Oh dear, on some parts of the shore nearer the water's edge, Epi/algae is still growing on and among the seagrasses, as we have observed during an August trip to Cyrene. My transect seems a little bare. And the seagrass blades are all broken off and very short.  The Team at Site 1 also felt the seagrasses there were not as lush as usual. Well, this is why it's important to monitor our seagrasses. I do hope the situation is only temporary.  For more pictures and interesting facts visit Team Seagrass Click Here

 

Hervey Bay & Great Sandy Strait (Qld, Australia): 04 - 06 November 2010

 

	Urangan 04 November 2010
	Burrum Heads 05 November 2010
	Pelican Bay 06 November 2010

 

Badu Island (Torres Strait, Qld): 04 - 05 November 2010

Ranger mentors Simon Conaty, Don Whap and Mua senior ranger Don Wigness made sure the monitoring On Badu still went ahead according to schedule. BD1 monitoring started out just fine but still half a transect to go and two transects of seed monitoring we were overtaken by a massive tropical storm. Even though we were thoroughly drenched, we persevered and got all the monitoring complete. The next morning we headed around to Upai to monitor BD2. the weather couldn't have been better a beautiful day and a sunrise to die for- unfortunately we didn't get the timing quite right and the tide beat us. We did manage to get at least 80% of the work done. Text Jane Mellors

 

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