Thaton’s EMU is existing within Thaton Township and comprising four villages along the coastal area. The EMU boundary covered about 2,000 ha with a mix of agricultural lands, mangrove forests, mudflats, and fishing grounds.
- Aung Kan Thar Village
- Gyo Phyu Kone Village
- Htein Pin Villave
- Zike Kayae Village
Key Features
Thaton's EMU contains key areas with regard to the mud crab conservation zone and co-management zone. Both areas were designated by the Mon State Government in 2017.
Mud Crab Conservation Zone
Mud Crab Conservation Zone is covered with 500 acres of mudflats and located to the south of Aung Kan Thar Village. It was about 30 minutes by boat during high tide. Since it was established, the Village Development Committee from Aung Kan Thar Village has started to plant mangrove trees with the support of the Gulf of Mottama Project. In 2019, the Worldview International Foundation (WIF) initiated a new project on the mud crab conservation zone and continued planting mangrove trees. According to a monitoring report by the Gulf of Mottama Project, approximately 400,000 trees were planted between 2017 and 2023.
This video is about the Gulf of Mottama Project planting mangrove trees on the Mud Crab Island, Aung Kan Thar Village, Thaton Township, Mon State. This activity aim to protect coastal changes and riverbank erosion as well as strengthening ecosystem services in the Gulf of Mottama.
Fishery Co-Management Zone
Fishery Co-Management Zone is
“Fighting Illegal Fisheries” is a comprehensive documentary about sustainable fishery production and current challenges in the Gulf of Mottama, Myanmar. The Gulf of Mottama Project is financed by the Swiss Government and implemented by a consortium of Helvetas Swiss Intercooperation (lead) NAG and IUCN. The project in collaboration with D. Mon Multimedia Production Group, has conducted many field trips to fishing villages and their respective fishery associations in the Gulf of Mottama area to interview small-scale fishermen, fish collectors and key persons from Fishery Development Association (FDA) and Myanmar Fishery Federation (MFF).
This documentary highlights the rapidly decline of fishing resources in the Gulf of Mottama due to the illegal use of the small mash net size (called Than Zagar Pike) and other illegal fishing practices that prevent fish to reproduce. According to U Shwe Aung, Kyaikhto FDA’s Chairman, weakness in law enforcement is one of the major problems to be able to fully eliminate the illegal fishing. He further explained that more than 80 boats are known to operate illegally in the Gulf of Mottama’s fishing grounds threatening the sustainable reproduction of fish species and menacing small-scale fisherman livelihoods.
Since 2018, with the support from the Gulf of Mottama Project, the local fisherman and respective representative from MFF, FDA and Department of Fisheries (Mon State & Bago Region) have conducted regular patrolling activities in the Gulf of Mottama with the aim to conserve fisheries resource and combatting illegal fishing. However, until today, the illegal fishing continues to take place in some areas and its abrogation is the main stakeholder’s challenge.