New laws crack down on illegal fishing !!!

 

 

Navy officers prepare to board fishing boats and trawler lined
 up along the coast at Samut Sakhon, as the government
prepares a final push to fight illegal fishing and satisfy
 European Union demands to end so-called IUU - Illegal,
Unreported, and Unregulated fishing and save the Thai
 seafood export market. (Photo by Wichan Charoenkiatpakul)

The cabinet on Tuesday approved a raft of measures to deal
 with illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing as
 the country struggles to meet a European Union (EU)
deadline in December to clamp down on illegal fishing or
risk being hit with damaging trade sanctions.

The new policy measures include the Royal Ordinance

 2015 -- a plan to regulate fisheries -- a fishery management

 plan, and a national plan of action, all of which will clean up

the sector in line with EU standards, according to Prime

 Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha.

Speaking after Tuesday's cabinet meeting, Gen Prayut said

 the cabinet had endorsed the Royal Ordinance 2015,

 the Fishery Management Plan (FMP) and the National Plan

 of Action to Prevent, Deter and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported

 and Unregulated fishing (NPAO-IUU) to combat human

 trafficking in the fishing industry.

 

Gen Prayut said regulating the fishery industry is a priority,

and EU representatives who visited the country early last

 month recognised the progress that the government has

made in tackling the IUU problem.

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: New laws make Thailand 'international standard'

However, the prime minister said the government still did not

 know whether the EU will rescind the yellow card it gave to

Thailand in April for failing to solve the IUU problem.

 "Thailand will do its best to tackle the issue and it is up to the

 EU to decide whether to revoke the yellow card," he said.

The prime minister added the government is not only

 addressing the IUU problem, but it is also trying to help

traditional and legal fishermen, and help fishermen who have

 been affected by the measures to deal with IUU.

"I tried to show the EU that Thailand does not sell them

seafood linked with human trafficking. The government is

solving the IUU problem for the sake of the Thai fishing

industry," Gen Prayut said.

Next year, the EU will send a delegation to check on

Thailand's progress again. Meanwhile, Distat Hotrakitya,

 secretary-general of the Council of State, said the royal

ordinance has the  potential to solve problems that the 2015

Fishing Law, which was introduced early this year, could

not address.

 "The royal ordinance aims to prevent illegal fishing and offer a

sustainable solutionto the problem by boosting coastal and

 traditional fish stocks while protecting the export market,

" Mr Distat said.

The new laws also aim to ensure that the fishing industry is

managed in a way that will protect vital natural resources, and

ensure that fishing is not carried out unsustainably.

The royal ordinance sets out measures to deal with illegal

fishing, including the establishment of fishing zones, issuance

 of licences based on vessel sizes, and prevention of

 transboundary illegal fishing and hazardous fishing methods

 -- all of which are in line with international standards.

 A vessel monitoring system will also be put in place, with

devices to track fishing boats, and a port-in/port-out surveillance

 system that logs data about boats' activities, including what

 equipment is used, the types of fish caught, and where the

 fish came from.

 "We can then trace and verify where seafood products come

 from, and punish those who break the law," Mr Distat said.

The Council of State advised the government to issue the

 executive decree because it is a swift way to respond to the

 urgency of the IUU issue the executive decree because it is

 a swift way to respond to the urgency of the IUU problem.

 

 Passing a law to deal with the matter through the normal

 legislative process would take too long, he said.

 

 The royal ordinance will take effect immediately after it

 receives endorsement from His Majesty the King,

Mr Distat said.

 Rittirong Boonmechote, president of SET-listed Thai

 Union Frozen Products Plc, the world's largest exporter

 of canned and frozen tuna, said Thailand has tried as hard

 as it can to meet the high standards of the EU.

"It is clear that the Thai government as well as relevant private

sectors have been working very hard to meet the EU standards

 and we hope that the EU will realise this," he said.

 Thailand has been doing a lot of hard work, including

 overhauling its fishing sector, Mr Rittirong said.

 "At least we have done what they want us to do. So,

I don't think there would be any excuse to ban us.

 However, we still need to do more if they ask," he said.

However, Mr Rittirong said the private sector and exporters

 are preparing for the worst-case scenario -- an EU ban on

Thai seafood exports because of IUU.

 "We are looking at other markets we might have overlooked,

 such as Latin America, the Middleand even other Asian

countries. It would expand our sales to help offset a fall in

 the EU market if the EU decides on a ban or a red card,

" he said.

 Poj Aramwattannont, president of the Thai Frozen Foods

 Association, said the private sector is also working with

the government to address the IUU problem to ensure the

 sustainability of the industry.

 Mr Poj said the executive decree will support existing

fishing laws, but private operators have still not been informed

 what the penalties will be for offenders.

 "Private operators have now put in place measures to

ensure the seafood bought for frozen products comes from

legal fishing boats," he added. Pornsil Patchrintanakul,

 adviser to the Thai Chamber of Commerce, said it is wrong

 to think the EU is exploiting the IUU issue merely to

 harass Thailand.

 "The problem does exist and all Thailand has to do is to

 fix it," Mr Pornsil said, adding that the government is

trying its best to tackle the issue. Long term, the country

 will have to come up with measures to ensure sustainable

 fishing, he added. According to Mr Pornsil, international

trade rules are constantly changing and Thailand must adapt

and work with other countries to combat IUU.

New,General,Bangkok Post,4 Novemver 2015.

 

I my viewpoint,I believe the government and the private sector

do their best to stop the illegal fishing,the so call IUU illegal

 and  try to meet the EU standards.

 

Hope the  Royal Ordinance 2015 -- a plan to regulate fisheries

-- a fishery management plan, and a national plan of action,

 all of which will clean up the sector in line with EU standards.

Hope EU see our effort and do not give red card to

 seafood industry.

 

Sincerely Yours.