ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Mar. Sci.
Sec. Coral Reef Research
This article is part of the Research TopicOccurrence, Impacts, and Interactions of Plastic Pollution in Coral Reef EcosystemsView all 6 articles
Environmental Effects of Plastic Pollution from Lost, Discarded, and Abandoned Fishing Gear (ALDFG) on Underwater Pinnacles in the Gulf of Thailand
Provisionally accepted
Sittiporn Pengsakun1
Thamasak Yeemin1
Makamas Sutthacheep1
Laongdow Jungrak1
Wanlaya Klinthong1
Wiphawan Aunkhongthong1
Charernmee Chamchoy1
Maneerut Sukkeaw1Saowalak Odthon2
Wichin Suebpala1*- 1Marine Biodiversity Research Group, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Ramkhamhaeng University, Bangkok, Thailand
- 2Department of Marine and Coastal Resources, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Bangkok, Thailand
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Underwater pinnacles in the Gulf of Thailand are ecologically significant habitats supporting diverse coral communities and associated marine life. However, these areas are increasingly threatened by abandoned, lost, or otherwise discarded fishing gear (ALDFG), which causes physical damage to coral colonies and disrupts benthic ecosystems. This study investigates the occurrence, types, sources, distribution, and ecological impacts of ALDFG at 13 underwater pinnacles across six coastal provinces. Using SCUBA-based belt transects and roving diving surveys. We assessed coral cover, identified ALDFG materials, and evaluated damage indicators such as tissue necrosis, coral fragmentation, algal overgrowth, and sediment accumulation. A total of 138 ALDFG items were recorded, predominantly composed of polyethylene nets, monofilament lines, and squid jigs. Gear types included otter trawl nets, handlines, gillnets, crab traps, and squid hooks. The most common damage was tissue necrosis, with massive corals such as Porites lutea showing the highest vulnerability. Statistical analysis revealed significant spatial differences in gear types, and coral impacts are influenced by distance from the mainland and the level of utilization. Our findings call attention to the urgent need for targeted management strategies, including gear marking, community-based retrieval programs, and integration of ALDFG monitoring into national marine conservation frameworks. This research supports sustainable fisheries and coral reef protection through evidence-based policy and stakeholder engagement.
Keywords: abandoned, lost, and discarded fishing gear (ALDFG), Coral damage, marine debris, sustainable fisheries, underwater pinnacles
Received: 21 Jul 2025; Accepted: 09 Dec 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Pengsakun, Yeemin, Sutthacheep, Jungrak, Klinthong, Aunkhongthong, Chamchoy, Sukkeaw, Odthon and Suebpala. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Wichin Suebpala
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