FISHERMEN have planted in the sea an artificial reef with 97 tonnes of coconut leaves, braided ropes and concrete pillars off the eastern province of Rayong early this month in a bid to raise the fish population, which has slumped following a massive oil spill off Koh Samet two years ago.
In what has been dubbed the biggest joint operation between the Rayong fishermen and their allies, they have embarked on a project to build "fish houses" along a 100-kilometre stretch of the Rayong coast. The fishermen raised the budget themselves to buy the materials for the makeshift "fish houses", which contain baby fish that are supposed to boost the fish population