It has been far too long since I’ve updated my blog, but I’ll do my best to catch up. After a whirlwind week of final site visits with Bao, I concluded the field component of my project and debriefed the Ranong Aquaculture Field Office. My final product will include a very thorough site assessment of aquaculture in Klong Naka. With Bao’s help I have visited every shrimp farm, mussel raft, and fish cage in the watershed. I collected location and production data for each of these sites, and completed a detailed map of existing aquaculture in the watershed. This map is by no means static or permanent, as Klong Na Ka is a dynamic system, characterized by frequent aquaculture yields and seasonal sensitivity. Rather, my assessment represents Klong Na Ka as a single snapshot in time. Ideally this assessment would be bolstered by years of detailed monitoring data spanning all three seasons. In reality I had to do the best I could with the limited time and resources that were available to me.
Despite adversities including typhoid fever, defective equipment, and a number of cultural and language limitations, I feel confident that my data and report will prove useful to the local government here. While three and a half months is not a sufficient length of time to collect a reliable record of water quality monitoring data, I believe I have contributed to developing a solid foundation (i.e. through site assessment and management recommendations) upon which an effective monitoring scheme may take shape in the future. As the fishermen of Klong Na Ka seek new opportunities for economic development, I sincerely hope that my work here will help to foster local promotion of sustainable aquaculture management.
I said my goodbyes and packed up my few belongings from the apartment, eager to embark on my post-project adventure through Southeast Asia. I then returned to Bangkok to spend a few days tying up loose ends and debriefing colleagues there. No sooner had I laundered my clothes, closed my Thai bank account, and outlined my final report, than I was off again to the Bangkok airport.
Despite adversities including typhoid fever, defective equipment, and a number of cultural and language limitations, I feel confident that my data and report will prove useful to the local government here. While three and a half months is not a sufficient length of time to collect a reliable record of water quality monitoring data, I believe I have contributed to developing a solid foundation (i.e. through site assessment and management recommendations) upon which an effective monitoring scheme may take shape in the future. As the fishermen of Klong Na Ka seek new opportunities for economic development, I sincerely hope that my work here will help to foster local promotion of sustainable aquaculture management.
I said my goodbyes and packed up my few belongings from the apartment, eager to embark on my post-project adventure through Southeast Asia. I then returned to Bangkok to spend a few days tying up loose ends and debriefing colleagues there. No sooner had I laundered my clothes, closed my Thai bank account, and outlined my final report, than I was off again to the Bangkok airport.
1 comment:
Millie and Al's misses you. We drank your share last night there. My shirt this morning had that Millie and Al's smell to it, yuck.
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