PM invokes Section 44 to solve illegal fishing



BANGKOK: -- Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha has invoked Section 44 of the interim constitution to set up an ad hoc command centre to resolve illegal fishing problem.

The command centre which is headed by the commander-in-chief of the Royal Thai Navy will start operating on May 1.

The command centre will set fisheries guidelines for implementation, improve mutual understanding with the European Union, coordinate with relevant agencies to tackle illegal fishing and to amend fisheries law.

Under the guidelines, fishing boats which are at least 30 gross tonnes are required to keep a logbook keeping record of leaving and entering a port, to be installed with a GPS system to keep track of the movement of the vessels.

No fishing boats of this size will be allowed to leave port for fishing either in the territorial waters or in the high sea without prior permission from the command centre.

Foreign fishing vessels which are on the blacklist cannot dock at Thai ports or will face a fine of up to 30 million baht.

A new fisheries law is expected to be completed in two weeks’ time after which it will be submitted to the cabinet to consider whether it should be made in the form of a bill or an executive decree.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/pm-invokes-section-44-to-solve-illegal-fishing


-- Thai PBS 2015-04-30

...but didn't he say a few days ago....

Tell them to bag and properly dispose of their trash as well...

...but didn't he say a few days ago....

Not many people know. When Newton came up with his third law of physics, (an equal but opposite reaction) he was really talking about Thai leadership.

A step in the right direction - but there are many steps in a journey.

So what happens with vessels that are less than 30 grosse tons?

They have hire all the slaves from the over 30M ones?

"Rather than solving the IUU problem, Thailand could face more pressure from the EU and the international community if it exercises the illegitimate power under Article 44 to crackdown on illegal fishing....Prayut and his crew need to think this through. His coup last May is already problematic and the junta's laws and their enforcement are worse." The Nation 2015-04-29

I am sure Prayut thinks the problem is all about "understanding," not to what degree that his government has any international legitimacy.

The proof of success is whether they can implement the checks on boats going out and then in again. If they can mobilize the Navy to handle the checks, that's a good use of tax payer money, especially if it helps clean up a nasty industry run by criminal interests and traffickers. Until it's cleaned up, we eat no Thai seafood in our household, consciously only buying imported seafood.

So what happens with vessels that are less than 30 grosse tons?

Fix the bigger fish first, then catch up with the rowing boats later

This is a law of non-action. It only covers 30 tonnes and larger, where most Thai boats are well below that. If they set the bar at 20 tonnes, it would have an im[pacty, as it is, less than five percent of fishers are affected. "The fishing boats, which are non-powered, outboard powered and inboard powered boats less than 10 gross tonnage (GT), as well as the fishing gears "

Further There have been occasions when there has been a lack of raw materials for the fish processing industry. Hence, Thai fishers with support of the Thai government have sought new fishing grounds outside Thai waters to increase their catch and secure the national fisheries production base."

http://www.fao.org/docrep/011/i0573e/i0573e04.htm

The proof of success is whether they can implement the checks on boats going out and then in again. If they can mobilize the Navy to handle the checks, that's a good use of tax payer money, especially if it helps clean up a nasty industry run by criminal interests and traffickers. Until it's cleaned up, we eat no Thai seafood in our household, consciously only buying imported seafood.

Not if the Navy can be paid to turn a blind eye like every other institution in Thailand...... but i am sure they will be VERY HAPPY to take on the role..

This is a law of non-action. It only covers 30 tonnes and larger, where most Thai boats are well below that. If they set the bar at 20 tonnes, it would have an im[pacty, as it is, less than five percent of fishers are affected. "The fishing boats, which are non-powered, outboard powered and inboard powered boats less than 10 gross tonnage (GT), as well as the fishing gears "

Further There have been occasions when there has been a lack of raw materials for the fish processing industry. Hence, Thai fishers with support of the Thai government have sought new fishing grounds outside Thai waters to increase their catch and secure the national fisheries production base."

http://www.fao.org/docrep/011/i0573e/i0573e04.htm

Excellent link fangfarang, although it looks as though it's a bit dated info,, obviously the purse (ring net) and trawling sector is a large and ever increasing percentage of the overall catching power since those tables were published, I have quite a bit of experience in both those fields and would agree these types of fishing methods need addressing along with the monofilament nets, but my opinion bigger more powerful boats normally mean greater catching power, by way of bigger trawl nets bigger purse nets and bigger carrying capacity,, addressing theese bigger boats first would be a good start

Ecellent it will all work out perfect then...

Hope that tomorrow we not read here that section 44 can not solve it hahahahaha

Thainess !

Tell them to bag and properly dispose of their trash as well...

Haha - good one :-)