Govt expects to solve illegal fishing in 3 months

BANGKOK, 24 April 2015 (NNT) - The Thai government has set up a working team to tackle Illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, after the European Union (EU) gave a yellow card to the Kingdom.

Spokesperson to the Prime Minister’s Office Major General Sansern Keawkamnerd revealed that the working team is chaired by Defense Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan. The team has planned four strategies to regain acceptance from the EU.

The strategies involve amending fisheries legislation to international standards, developing a national action plan, monitoring fishing boats though a VMS GPS system and examining their catch.

The National Legislative Assembly (NLA) has already approved these four measures and will enforce them in the near future.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives will co-develop the national action plan and submit it for Cabinet approval within two weeks.

In addition, the surveillance system on fishing boats will be implemented in every port nationwide by May 6. The Defense Minister has instructed related units to complete their tasks in three months.

A follow-up meeting will be held every two week to monitor their progress. This progress will be forwarded to the EU by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Commerce will assure that the seafood market remains stable.


-- NNT 2015-04-24

I got a better idea. Burn all the boats and imprison all their captains and owners.

They need to confiscate any boat that doesn't have GPS and any boat that enters restricted waters for fishing. Then arrest the captain and give huge fines to the companies they sell to. This won't stop until all areas of the problem are addressed. From the little guy to the big guys

Pretty much as I posted when the subject first was aired. Thai government says a plan is in place, the EU says very good.

3 months is not an accurate assessment ... it's taken them decades and only when the EU threatens to ban exports does it then take action.

I for one remain very doubtful they can achieve anything in 3 months considering it's the usual 90 day mantra that is typically used.

These problems, along with the alleged slavery on fishing boats, have been known for years. Boats are owned by untouchable rich folks. New plan and new laws? Right! Thailand's problem is not an inability to write laws, it's an inability and lack of political will to enforce them. Until that changes... samo, samo! Oh, they'll straighten up for a few months until the EU investigators go home.

The team has planned four strategies to regain acceptance from the EU.

1. Cheat
2. Lie
3. Mislead
4. Withhold

90 days?? Is Chalerm back ??

Ah yes, the standard 3 month time frame.

Spokesperson to the Prime Minister’s Office Major General Sansern Keawkamnerd revealed that the working team is chaired by Defense Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan. The team has planned four strategies to regain acceptance from the EU.

I think Prawit too needs soon some ear medicine.

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The team has planned four strategies to regain acceptance from the EU.

1. Cheat
2. Lie
3. Mislead
4. Withhold

You forgot #5. Thainess

Govt expects to solve illegal fishing in 3 months

No it doesn't.

If only 3 months to solve the problem why not has this problem been solved a long time ago?

I do have the answer, do you?

wow, so many bitterness in this forum acting as though what the government doing is wrong….

At least the pressure is on. But I believe only a ban will trigger real actions not the threat of a ban. 3 months are short and the results should be visible very soon then?

wow, so many bitterness in this forum acting as though what the government doing is wrong….

Are you the one and only feeling the often quoted "happiness" about it?

There plan is to make a few arrest, issue and few media clips show some good photos and issue some good print

Then say the issue is solved

How then do they replace the Boats and the fishermen to maintain production ?

And here is how they plan to do it!

BANGKOK — The Royal Thai Navy has formally submitted a request to the government to buy submarines for its submarine division, which has lacked a single vessel for the last 64 years.

Not sure what these minimum standards are from the EU. Most likely they are not all that difficult to achieve. The Philippines avoided a red card within a six month time frame. There is to much corporate profits at stake to force countries like Thailand to do things the correct and moral way.

I am sure The EU does not want to do this, look how long it has taken to get to this point, the same as the US did not want to downgrade the Thai's in their TIP report. But Thailand pushed its limits way beyond and the countries had no other options. On the other hand, it will only take a small improvement, just the smallest of effort and Thailand will be upgraded, just for the sake of corporate profits.

wow, so many bitterness in this forum acting as though what the government doing is wrong.

It's not that what the government is doing is wrong, it's just that there are so many words and very little transparent action.

Govt expects to solve illegal fishing in 3 months

No it doesn't.

I think that what you are getting at is that what the government said was "Spokesperson to the Prime Minister’s Office Major General Sansern Keawkamnerd revealed that the working team is chaired by Defense Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan. The team has planned four strategies to regain acceptance from the EU"

The government could solve all illegal fishing over night by passing a directive changing the law to make all practise legal - but that would not gain acceptance from the EU!

The government has done more in the last few moths than the previous government did over many years but that has only achieved a small measure of success. The EU is looking for a lot more and it is possible that the governments proposed actions will archive enough within the deadline to halt further EU action in the short term, The problem with seeking to achieve the minimum standards is that limits what can be achieve and will probably result in more yellow cards in the future as has happened to other countries.

On the limited information (and ignoring the misleading title) it would appear that the government will see improvements within it economic zone but that still leaves major problems outstanding. Port inspections and reporting are a useful element but only with spot check at sea. It is what happens at sea that is the most concern. Crew transfers after leaving and before returning to port are one of these. How many of the boats and crews rarely if ever return to port? Processing of fish so as to make identification and size checks are just another.

Govt expects to solve illegal fishing in 3 months?

Govt expects to change the EU's perspective of illegal fishing in 3 months!

3 months?!!......it's been 6 months and still the stupid lottery prices havn't changes......as all the powers had "vowed" !!!

These people can't change anything ....well maybe their underwear.....in 3 months..............there's more than 1000 boats to register....not that that's much good for anything!!

wow, so many bitterness in this forum acting as though what the government doing is wrong….

The government is doing OK, they have a cunning plan.

90 days?? Is Chalerm back ??

"Thai govt expects to solve" Not to be confused with "vows" to solve or even "promises" to solve....

more like a "considers" solving, or the ever-popular "mulls" ways to solve,

translation: the Thai government expects the problem to go away after 3 months.... foreigners really should not be so critical of Thailand.

Another day, another committee....another announcement...

wow, so many bitterness in this forum acting as though what the government doing is wrong….

" damned if they do, damned if they don't"

And the back-up plan is Chinese submarines for Thai Slavery Seafood.

These problems, along with the alleged slavery on fishing boats, have been known for years. Boats are owned by untouchable rich folks. New plan and new laws? Right! Thailand's problem is not an inability to write laws, it's an inability and lack of political will to enforce them. Until that changes... samo, samo! Oh, they'll straighten up for a few months until the EU investigators go home.

Yup, they've got laws galore. but enforcing them is a different matter.

If it will take only 3 months to clean it up, why did it not happened as soon as the laws were enacted? Thainess.