Abuse at sea: Fishing trawlers 'need proper monitoring'

[webfact]

ABUSE AT SEA
Fishing trawlers 'need proper monitoring'
Wiraj Sripong
The Nation



BANGKOK: -- ABUSE of fishery workers is found mostly in deep-sea fishing - on vessels a long way from law enforcement, rather than on boats in coastal areas, a labour rights activist has said.

Sompong Srakeaw, founder and head of the Labour Rights Promotion Network Foundation, said that while national and international regulations do exist, law enforcement was often absent. A stricter mechanism to scrutinise and monitor the industry was badly needed, he said.

Serious problems in the fishing industry emerged almost 10 years ago. But it has come into the spotlight only after the US downgraded Thailand in its annual Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report to Tier 3, the lowest level, last year. The European Union also issued a warning to the country recently over its poor record of illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.

Thousands of workers work legally and illegally on trawlers both in coastal areas in the Gulf, the Andaman Sea and foreign waters. In Indonesia alone, the number of fishers is around 4,000 - from Thailand, Myanmar and Laos.

But, officials were not well informed, Sompong said, because fishing industries hide information from the public.

In an interview with The Nation, Sompong - who has helped rescue Thai workers - revealed some of the suffering endured by Thai, Myanmar and Laotian labourers in Ambon Island in Indonesia.

"Fishermen who came back from Indonesia's Ambon told us about their working conditions. Then we decided to visit the island with the goal of meeting labourers, in particular those affected by harsh working conditions," he said.

Fishery workers usually work out of ports in Ranong, Samut Sakhon and Samut Prakan provinces. Only a few possessed legal documents, while the others falsified documents to avoid problems.

After getting to Ambon Island they would wait for two weeks before joining smaller vessels at sea. Once on board, the fishermen were vulnerable, he said - forced to work with just three to four hours sleep and little chance to escape.

"They might stay at sea for months or even two to three years without returning to port," Sompong said.

"Some might die and their bodies would be left at sea."

Thai authorities should do more in terms of coordination with international groups, he said. A more active role for bodies like the International Labour Organisation or International Organisation for Migration - would help to counter such abusive treatment.

Owners and operators of vessels, plus buyers of fish should be more cooperative with state authorities - reveal the real number of fishermen at sea and care about their well-being, Sompong said.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Fishing-trawlers-need-proper-monitoring-30259377.html


-- The Nation 2015-05-06

[johnburger]

For years bla..bla bla bla

[monkeycountry]

The good news is noone really has to do anything for all these fishing related problems to stop. All the Thai authorities have to do is ... nothing. If nothing is done, the EU, and eventually the US will ban all Thai seafood products, and a large part of the Thai fishing industry will be out of work. By then the major players in the industry, those who make the decisions and who benefit the most financially, will have no choice but to solve these problems, and convince the EU and the US that they have done so.

[fareastguy]

The answer is to invite the "fisheries minister" to a cosy one-to-one chat with Prayut and make it perfectly clear to him that if he doesn't pull his head out of the sand and his thumb out of his arse to sort out his "fishing fiasco" then heads will start to role.. starting with his !!

Usually does the trick....

[toybits]

Yes! I totally agree that there is a need to see if the people are properly abused or not. Only kidding.

[Basil B]

The big question...

Who has the right to stop and search ships and boats in international waters?

Presume the country to which the vessel is registered, may be time for an international agreed rules where by any navy has the power to stop and search any vessel subject to UN rules.

So if the Thai government and navy can not deal with this issue may be the Americans should ask the UN for permission to stop and search fishing vessels.