Cvl.2013.

2

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Cvl Marlne CoasLal ConservaLlon pro[ecL sLarLs new research pro[ecL Lo monlLor Lhe
envlronmenLal lmpacL of Lourlsm on Lhe Slmllan lslands

Summary
volunLeers have been Laklng parL ln a new survey lnvesLlgaLlng LourlsL behavlour ln Lhe
Slmllan naLlonal ark. 1he managemenL of Lhe park expressed an lnLeresL ln quanLlfylng Lhe
damaglng envlronmenLal lmpacLs of mass Lourlsm. 1he daLa collecLed ln Lhe sLudles wlll
provlde an accuraLe deplcLlon of how large scale Lourlsm wlll affecL Lhe healLh of Lhe lslands.
1he ueparLmenL of naLlonal arks can hopefully use Lhe daLa Lo lnform fuLure managemenL
declslons.

8eporL
1he sLarL of november saw an exclLlng new addlLlon lnLo Lhe ConservaLlon schedule for Cvl
hang nga. ConservaLlon coordlnaLor, !olyon 8rlggs, had been developlng a new research
pro[ecL LhaL saw lLs malden voyage on november 4
Lh
. 1hls new research pro[ecL ls ln
parLnershlp wlLh Lhe 1halland ueparLmenL of naLlonal parks (un). Cn Lhe flrsL day of Lhe
new pro[ecL Lhe Leam embarked on Lhe 1.3-hour speedboaL rlde ouL Lo a group of Lroplcal
lslands off Lhe wesLern coasL of 1halland. 1hls group of nlne lslands, collecLlvely known as
1he Slmllans, ls parL of a marlne park LhaL conLalns slgnlflcanL marlne and LerresLrlal
blodlverslLy value. 8ecenLly Lhe park was expanded Lo lnclude Lwo oLher lslands known as
koh 8on and koh 1achal.

1ourlsLs flock Lo Lhe park ln Lhelr Lhousands for Lhe naLural beauLy and amazlng scenery.
CrysLal clear waLer, Leemlng wlLh llfe surrounds Lhese plcLuresque lslands, maklng lL a very
popular desLlnaLlon for snorkellng and dlvlng. 1he landscape ls doLLed wlLh vasL granlLe
boulders and dense Lroplcal ralnforesL wlLh a selecLlon of flne, whlLe sandy beaches. 1he
Lourlsm lndusLry ln Lhe Slmllans ls largely self-regulaLed, prlmarlly due Lo Lhe llmlLed
enforcemenL capablllLles of Lhe un. 1our operaLors are glven exLenslve advlce on besL
pracLlce and, ln Lheory, Lhe deparLmenL of naLlonal arks can lssue flnes for fallure Lo meeL
Lhese behavloural guldellnes. Powever, Lhe sheer number of LourlsLs and array of dlfferenL
Lour operaLors makes Lhe enforcemenL of Lhese guldellnes problemaLlc. AfLer meeLlng wlLh


Cvl.2013.2

Lhe ark's managemenL lL was clear LhaL Lhe un are lnLeresLed ln flndlng ouL exacLly how
much Lhe currenL level of Lourlsm ls lmpacLlng Lhe envlronmenL. 1hls ls where Cvl sLaff and
volunLeers can help.
Lvery forLnlghL, for Lhree days, Lwo Leams of Cvl personnel go ouL wlLh Lour companles and
monlLor Lhe behavlor of boLh Lhe Lour guldes and Lhe LourlsLs. 8ehavlours such as llLLerlng,
feedlng Lhe wlldllfe, Louchlng coral or oLher organlsms eLc. are all recorded. 1hls lnformaLlon
wlll be collaLed aL Lhe end of Lhe season and used Lo assess Lhe exLenL Lo whlch Lhe
envlronmenL ls aL rlsk from mass Lourlsm. 1he surveys and observaLlons are carrled ouL all
day boLh ln Lhe waLer and ouL. When Lhe LourlsLs sLop for snorkellng our volunLeers musL
follow Lhem and waLch Lhelr behavlor ln Lhe waLer. Slmllarly when Lhe LourlsLs exlL Lhe boaL
and go onLo Lhe lsland for lunch, our volunLeers musL follow.
SLaff and volunLeers allke have en[oyed Lhls new addlLlon Lo Lhe Cvl hang nga research
work. lL ls an opporLunlLy Lo work ln an ldylllc, Lroplcal seLLlng whlle sLlll conLrlbuLlng
valuable lnformaLlon for Lhe areas proLecLlon. Survey days ln Lhe Slmllans Lend Lo be long,
hoL and hard work Lhough sLlll very rewardlng. lL ls a chance Lo noL only work ln paradlse buL
Lo help conserve and enhance lL. Whlle lL ls Loo early yeL Lo glean any resulLs or concluslons
from Lhe surveys, Lhe lnlLlal surveys have been very successful. 1hanks Lo Cvl volunLeers,
Lhe un wlll be recelvlng a large collecLlon of useful daLa wlLh some recommendaLlons aL
Lhe end of Lhe LourlsL season. So waLch Lhls space!
Cvl conLlnues Lo work Lowards lLs long-Lerm ob[ecLlves Lo supporL marlne coasLal
conservaLlon efforLs ln Lhe hang nga area, ln llne wlLh Lhe un Mlllennlum uevelopmenL
Coal Lo ensure envlronmenLal susLalnablllLy. lf you would llke Lo read more abouL Lhls
pro[ecL and slgn up Lo volunLeer, please vlslL our webslLe, llke our facebook page and follow
us on LwlLLer for Lhe laLesL lnformaLlon sLralghL from Lhe fleld.