The Department of Fisheries reveals the success of the activity "School Fisheries" continuing the royal project, connecting learning to youth, jointly building food security, and laying the foundation for sustainable Thai fisheries.
On 22 Jan 2026 GMT+7, Mrs. Thitiporn Laoprasert, Director-General of the Department of Fisheries, stated that the School Fisheries activity is a key mission under the royal fisheries support project of Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn. This initiative has been ongoing since 1992 to support the School Lunch Agriculture Project by creating sources of protein from aquatic animals for students. It also aims to instill basic skills in aquatic animal production for consumption, as well as conservation and sustainable use of fishery resources. Furthermore, the knowledge is extended to households and communities.
Over more than three decades, the Department of Fisheries has conducted the School Fisheries activity together with educational institutions under various rural child and youth development plans. These include schools under the Border Patrol Police Command, the Office of the Basic Education Commission, community learning centers under the Department of Non-Formal Education, schools under the Office of the Private Education Commission, schools under the Department of Local Administration, and schools under the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration. The department supports fisheries production factors tailored to each area's conditions and school capacity, using earthen ponds, concrete ponds, plastic ponds, and fish cages. It also transfers knowledge on aquaculture, processing, nutrition, and efficient product management, while monitoring and advising teachers and students.
As a result, schools have sufficient quality aquatic protein sources for school lunches. Students acquire basic fisheries skills that can be practically applied and share this knowledge from schools to households and communities. Additionally, this lays the groundwork for youth fisheries careers by focusing on practical experience to build knowledge and expertise for future employment.
Currently, the Department of Fisheries has successfully expanded the School Fisheries activities to cover 745 schools nationwide, creating learning centers and fish protein production for school lunch programs. Fish raised through the project are harvested for school meals via school cooperatives, producing at least 90,000 kilograms annually, valued at no less than 4.7 million baht per year.
Moreover, over 1,020 students have been trained in aquatic animal cultivation skills, and 1,200 have gained knowledge in nutrition and fish product processing. This has resulted in sustained food security for schools and communities, improved student nutrition, and tangible knowledge transfer to households, such as raising catfish in plastic ponds, frog farming in cages, and processing fish products for household consumption, including catfish snacks, sun-dried catfish, and fish chili paste.
The School Fisheries activity is a crucial mechanism linking fisheries sector development with youth development, marking the starting point for building a strong future for Thai fisheries. The Department of Fisheries will continue to drive this activity, aiming to expand its reach to more target areas while enhancing knowledge transfer and fisheries skills training with intensity, modernity, and relevance to local contexts. This will enable practical application of knowledge in daily life at household and community levels, eventually extending to career development, serving as a vital force for sustainable growth of Thailand’s fisheries sector.