The fishing fleet in Southern Thailand once bloomed with sails each morning as boats headed out to bring in the day's catch. Engines long ago proved more efficient than sails--not to mention less vulnerable to variable breezes. But recent high fuel prices have changed the efficiency equation, and sails are once again sprouting among the Phang-Nga Bay fishing fleet.

Launched in the wake of the tsunami, a joint project of the Department of Fisheries and the Chaipattana Foundation seeks to help local fisherman to reduce operating costs by adapting motor-powered boats with sails made from local materials. Mrs. Praulai Nootmorn, director of the Andaman Sea Marine Fisheries Research and Development Center in Phuket City, explained that 82 Phang-Nga fishermen have participated in the project. The next step, she said, is to develop community groups to build the sails and adapt more local fishing boats to use them.

"After the tsunami, the Department of Fisheries and the Chaipattana Foundation were concerned and worried about villagers and fishermen. We formed teams to study and research ways to decrease the cost of fisheries by using sails on fiberglass fishing boats," Nootmorn said."The research began in 2006 and we created sails in different patterns to find the best way for fiberglass fishing boats to reduce fuel costs by using wind power. Eventually, we created and demonstrated a sample fishing boat that villagers could adapt. It was so successful that we expanded the project to every community, especially along the Andaman Coast."

So far, Nootmorn said, about 80 % of the Andaman fishing fleet has been adapted to use the sails. Boats with sails can save about 50 % on fuel costs.

"Many fishermen are interested in the project when we go to educate them," she said."Villagers wanted to learn how to sail and how to use the sail to save money. But trying to change their mind about using engines when they go fishing is quite difficult. Many people are comfortable with using engines. We encouraged them to use the engine just for the way back to the coast."

Sail designs come in three patterns: a triangular sail, a rectangular sail and a trapezoidal sail. Nootmorn said the best sail pattern for fiberglass fishing boats is the trapezoidal pattern. The triangular pattern draws too much wind for fishing boats. The materials used in adapting fishing boats are all found in the local area--things like bamboo for the foremast and cotton for the sails. As the use of sails in fishing boats gains acceptance, the project will work with community groups to train them in making the sail adaptations.

In addition to reducing fuel costs for fishing boat operators, the project hopes to provide income for land-based groups doing the adaptation work. Nootmorn said that the cost of adding sails to fishing boats runs around 200-400 baht.

"Fishermen in Phang-Nga are interested in using the sail with their boats," Nootmorn said."They can really use this adaptation to save money for their boats because the villagers are involved in fisheries for their main occupation. We promoted [the project] and educated [fishermen] in Phuket already, but fisheries is not the main occupation for people there. The main income there is from tourism."

Rising costs for fuel are less of an issue for businesses that cater to tourists, Nootmorn continued. Additional fuel costs can be passed along to tourists. Also, engines are reliable, and business operators aren't concerned about pollution.

"I want to suggest that when tourists come to Thailand, they would like to see things that are really traditional," Nootmorn said."I would like to support the homestay project, which stays close to nature, invites tourism, shows that we are friendly to nature and preserves nature as well," Nootmorn continued. The homestay project on Ko Yao Noi draws tourists for conservation-minded holidays among the island's traditional fisher families."In the future I really wish that fishermen will use sails for fishing boats more and more, as one way to stop global warming."