Situated along the west coast of the Gulf of Thailand, the project location is teeming with coral which has been a source of food and tourist spot. Starting about 5 years ago, the rate of consumption and boom of tourism have caused degradation in many spots of the coral.

In cooperation with the district fishery office, provincial central office and community-based organizations, the club has initiated a plan to manage the consumption and use of the coral by building conservation awareness in youth groups and fishermen in the vicinity.

The project has been launching activities that emphasize the management of the coral by minimizing unfavourable effects resulting from uses , facilitating the enforcement of related law and regulations and providing technical training for local population. Nevertheless, the most urgent activities of the project is to provide relevant up-to-date data & information about location and condition of the 80-kilometre long coral to ensure the sustainable use.

Project goals or objectives (including GEF problem-area addressed by projects):

1.To instill conservation awareness in youth, community leaders, teachers and womens? group in the project location
2.To establish focal sources of information and knowledge on coral and environment conservation for communities

Activities to be carried out under project:

1.Organizing open forum to solicit and confirm ideas & thoughts from communities
2.Conducting training , seminar and study tour for community leaders, teachers and womens? group
3.Organizing environmental training for students and youths in the project location
4.Furnishing the schools in the project location with facility and knowledge about environment

Project participants and/or beneficiaries:

1.Chumphorn Provincial Office
2.Pathiw District Office of Primary Education , Forestry, Fishery and Development
3.Three tambol administrative organizations of the project location
4.Womens? group in the three tambols

Anticipated results of project:

1.Detailed maps of corals and communities
2.At least 30 persons from the target populations are capable of carrying out coral protection and environment conservation activities.