The participants of the meeting composed of representatives from government sector, private sector, fishers, experts, observers and organizers, all together 26 persons. Venue was at KU Home, Kasetsart University, Bangkok on 5th February 2016. Mr. Suchart Sangchan, Director of Marine Fisheries Research and Development in Andaman Sea Center, presented the results of the work in the meeting and Mr. Pairochana Saikliang, consultant of DOF presided over the meeting. The presentations on the results of research works conducted by national experts and the staff of Eastern Marine Fisheries and Development Center (EMDEC) was shown as background knowledge for the participants in the meeting. The summary of the research works were on fisheries status in Trat, proposalto address issues from stakeholders in AoTrat, fish larvae identification and distribution, socio economics of the fishers in Trat, threat to rare species and the drafted season and area closure management measures in Ao Trat. The drafted management measures included areas proposed for fisheries management in AoTratbased on the research results.These included no fishing by trawlers, purse seine with purse line, purse seine with gillnet, using gillnet with mesh size lessthan 4.5 cm,no fishing at the areas 1, 2 and 3 in March, April and May annually. All of these presentations were made in the last meeting in Bangkok (Advisory Committee Meeting held on 29th January 2016 KU Home, Kasetsart University, Bangkok) and in this meeting as well.

Conclusion from this meeting were as following:

1. Target species to be managed were Rastrelliger, swimming crab and shrimp,

2. Area zone was divided into 7 areas, the management will scope on areas 1 to 3,

3. Season will scope from March to May annually,

4. Issues have to be considered in conjunction with 1‐3, that were:

4.1 Multi‐gear in the proposed area,

4.2 Gear affecting sea turtle, dugong, dolphin etc.,

4.3 Gear that occupies large area.

The last meeting in 29thJanuary 2016 (Advisory Committee Meeting) was referred to, whichagreed to requestTratGovernor to issue law and regulation as Provincial Notification. The Provincial Notification included no fishing by trawlers, purse seine with purse line, purse seine with gillnet, using gillnet with mesh size less than 4.5 cm,no fishing at the areas 1, 2 and 3 in March, April and May annually. Other gear types which should be considered were:

a) All gill nets,

b) Bamboo stake trap,

c) Trawl and push net,

d) Short necked clam dredge,

e) Purse seine, lifted net, cast net and anchovy net

,f) Fishing boat less than 10 gross tonnage (beam trawl, otter board trawl and pair trawl),

g) Light luring fishing.

Other issues:

a) Size of boat that could fish and could not fish in the restricted area,

b) Size and number of gear have to be specified clearly,

c) Purse seine with no purse line,

d) Number of legal and illegal boats in the area

Additional comments from the meeting:

a) Consider to close the area between Chang Island and main land for fishing,

b) No fishing by Ravai hook, and ray purse seine as it destroys the rare species in the area,

c) Local people could be able to access more scientific results and the information should be widespread,

d) Joint research between local fishers and EMDEC,

e) Limit area fishing for those occuping large area when fishing,

f) To reduce conflict, small scale fisheries and commercial fisheries should follow the management plan and agreement which was formulated and accepted by them,

Finally, Mr. Pairochana thanked to the participants,saying that we were grateful to discuss

together and to have a good trip back home. The meeting was then closed.

Supongpan, M., & Sinanan, T. (2016). Advisory Committee Meeting Area and Season Closure in Ao Trat, Trat Province. Training Department, Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center.