Authorities handling overexploitation of marine resources

Authorities are carefully coping with overexploitation of marine resources in Myanmar territory sea, said an official of the Fisheries Department.
Overfishing for the past four decades resulted in the scarcity of marine resources.
“Marine resource in deep water was down by 60 per cent and 80 per cent in surface water according to the 2018 survey, compared to the record in 1979,” said U Zaw Min Oo, head of Myeik District Fisheries Department.
At present, the maximum sustainable yield (MSY) for the highest annual catch is evaluated, he pointed out.
Harvesting wild from the sea exceeded the species that can replenish their population naturally. Overexploitation caused a huge decline of 60 per cent in deep water and 80 per cent in surface water. The survey on Myanmar’s marine resources was conducted three times between 1979 and 2018. Plummeting data indicated the overfishing issues. The international observers also warned the country of overexploitation.
“The department is no longer issuing a new licence for fishing as the catch rate is greater than the maximum sustainable yield. We have to tread carefully on this issue,” U Zaw Min Oo continued.
The fisheries from Taninthayi Region have been exported to the Ranong fish market in Thailand.
There are over 1,500 offshore fishing vessels in Taninthayi Region. Over 6,000 inshore fishing vessels have been registered in the Myeik District Department of Fisheries. — Myint Oo (Myeik)/GNLM