Seven-coloured lobster launch: Phuket’s splashy conservation effort

Halfway between Cape Panwa and Koh Lone, on the small island of Koh Thanan under the jurisdiction of Wichit, a conservation effort unfolded yesterday. The Phuket Fisheries Office, alongside local farmers and fishing groups, released a staggering 700,000 larvae of a local delicacy, the seven-coloured lobster, along with 500,000 black tiger shrimp into the waters off Phuket, Thailand.

This massive release of young crustaceans was part of the Phuket 7-Coloured Lobster Bank project. As explained by Sitthipol Muangsong, Chief of the Phuket Fisheries Office, the initiative aims to release a total of 1.7 million seven-coloured lobster younglings into the Phuket area to bolster aquaculture stocks.

The release was not a solitary effort. It was a collaborative endeavour involving the Phuket Fisheries Office, the Phuket Coastal Aquaculture Research and Development Centre, and local farmers who cultivate the seven-coloured lobster, reported The Phuket News.

The Phuket Governor, Sophon Suwannarat, was also present at the event. He spoke about the efforts to expedite the registration of the seven-coloured lobster as a Geographical Indication (GI) product. The Fisheries Office and the Provincial Commerce Office have been tasked with preparing the necessary information and documents to make the case for the lobster’s GI status.

The seven-coloured lobster, if approved, would be the second aquatic product from Phuket to receive this prestigious recognition, following the Phuket pearl. The lobster is already well-known for its unique taste and often fetches prices above 1,800 baht per kilogramme.

Governor Sophon emphasised the importance of registering the seven-coloured lobster as a GI product.

“This move is to guarantee that the Phuket seven-coloured lobster is unique to Phuket and has not been registered anywhere.”

The lobster’s international acceptance, he added, has already been confirmed by its inclusion in the APEC 2022 gala dinner menu. The governor concluded by highlighting the unique taste of the lobster and citing it as another soft power of Phuket.

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