Fishermen voice their plights from tough action

[Lite Beer]

Fishermen voice their plights from tough action

BANGKOK: -- As the European Union (EU) is sending a team of its officials to Thailand to inspect the country's progress in complying with international fisheries law after yellow carding the country, the Thai Overseas Fisheries Association (TOFA) yesterday called a meeting with all its members in Samut Sakhon province to raise the problems and plight of the fishermen after Thai authorities started to tighten grip on the fishing boats in an effort to stamp out illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

More than 600 people in the fishing industry took part in the meeting.

The meeting discussed the EU’s recent yellow-card decision on Thailand that served as a warning for the country to take more decisive action in the coming months and avoid a red card which would ban Thai seafood imports to the EU.

The fishing association said although the yellow carding was due to a number of reasons which include unreported, illegal and unregulated fishing, the inappropriate issuance of fishing licences also should be blamed.

The association said it seems that the Thai Fisheries Department’s license often times reflects inaccurate fishing equipment details.

When the license is scrutinized by foreign authorities and found to be incorrect, the Thai Fisheries Department resolves this problem by cancelling licenses which has resulted in fishermen having to stop fishing all together.

TOFA president Phubet Channimit said although the fishing association is more than happy to work with the government to resolve any issues, “our main problem right now is to address the issue of the EU deciding that Thai fishermen are fishing illegally.”

He said “there needs to be quick and immediate action to remedy this before we can move on as we have now been stopped from fishing for some time. “

There are over 50,000 fishing boats in the country however only 16,000 are licensed, he said.

The remaining 30,000 or more boats are certainly fishing illegally and when authorities start conducting rigorous checks these boats are put to port.

Some of these boats have stopped fishing since the beginning of the year.

The association president said “the challenge now is to have all boats licensed as quickly as possible. We need to enforce rule of law. This is the toughest challenge. We will abide by all of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO)’s instructions. We will also be more than happy to update the council on what instructions could be difficult to meet.”

A wholesale buyer who used to meet fishing boats out at sea to purchase catches said today his boat too is docked because the Fisheries Department has deemed his boat as illegal.

He said the latest action by the department is affecting not only fishermen but buyers as well as there is currently no regulation that cover wholesale buyer boats.

Another wholesale buyer said “We can’t set sail any more simply because the licenses that are available are for fishing boats and trawlers only. I’ve submitted an application for a license but was declined. Why can’t there be a new license category for wholesale buyer boats as well.

Now the TOFA is requesting that authorities research the Thai fishery dilemma.

According to the association, the licensing issue is tied to the legal or authorised type of fishing equipment and methods.

As a first step, the industry is pressuring authorities to license as many boats as possible so that fishermen can continue to make a living.

Meanwhile as EU officials are slated to conduct an inspection of the Thai fishing industry to ensure that everything is regulated, the association also felt it would be also be a tough challenge for the Command Center for Combating Illegal Fishing (CCCIF) as the most pertinent issue should also be to alleviate the local fisherman’s plight.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/fishermen-voice-their-plights-from-tough-action

-- Thai PBS 2015-05-09

[catterwell]

If the fishing boats get regulated, which won't be easy, there'll be a drop in (especially Rayong - Nakorn Sri Thammarat) smuggling. The smugglers and their official backers won't like that.

[dcutman]

The Thai fishing industries days are number any way. After more than 50 years of uncontrolled destructive fishing, its not worth getting out of bed to fish in Thai waters. Or few places any where in Asia for that fact. Production in Thai waters has gone from 400kg catch per hour in 1961 to 14kg catch per hour in 2013. Even when you are running 99% slave labor 14kgh doesnt pay for the bullets to keep em under control or fuel for the boat. Where there is enough fish to make it worth fishing, Governments are have realized they better get protective of their waters. I know Indonesia has sunk more than a few illegal foreign boats.

[trogers]

Why are there similar problems in issuing licenses by govt departments? Driving licenses, aviation licenses, and now fishing licenses?

Due to understaff or under the tables?

[Just1Voice]

Boat Captains -"But how are we gonna make any money if we have to actually PAY our illegal crews?"

[Praematura]

What's interesting is the part about the wholesalers going out to the fishing boat. I wonder if that's in part due to the concern that the crew of the fishing vessel will desert the ship.

My wife was telling me that her uncle worked on a Thai fishing ship. He said to her that if someone died they would just toss the body overboard and the sharks would eat the corpse. Sadly after her uncle left after his last visit he was never heard from again so the system he described may apply to Thais as well as the Burmese.

[Thai at Heart]

What a mess. 30000 unlicensed boats. What an utter joke...

[Oziex1]

Fish stocks around the world are under enormous pressure from fishing, there are too many of us fishing and we just got too good at it.

Wild fish will soon become the food of the rich only.

[Usual Suspect]

Two things come to the surface here..

#1..The fishing industry are STILL to arrogant to realise that same as any other sector within any other industry..if your buyers are not happy they'll stop buying from you...so you do what you can to keep the buyer/client/customers happy or you're out of business...but no thainess

prevails as usual...come on EU..pull the plug..!

#2..The Thai authorities are not issuing licences to the whole-salers boats..GOOD...how long does it take the authorities to realise the slave ships, & the illegal ships are staying out of port, & carrying on as usual... with their crew of trafficked slaves, no licence, & trawling for everything.

I for one DO hope the EU are monitoring all that's NOT being done, & can see thru' the usual Thai bulls*** they offer in their reports.

[trogers]

Two things come to the surface here..

#1..The fishing industry are STILL to arrogant to realise that same as any other sector within any other industry..if your buyers are not happy they'll stop buying from you...so you do what you can to keep the buyer/client/customers happy or you're out of business...but no thainess

prevails as usual...come on EU..pull the plug..!

#2..The Thai authorities are not issuing licences to the whole-salers boats..GOOD...how long does it take the authorities to realise the slave ships, & the illegal ships are staying out of port, & carrying on as usual... with their crew of trafficked slaves, no licence, & trawling for everything.

I for one DO hope the EU are monitoring all that's NOT being done, & can see thru' the usual Thai bulls*** they offer in their reports.

EU can supply the shells and things can be reversed.

Shipwrecks are great sources of new coral growth and spawning grounds for fish.

[tingtongfarang]

As fish stocks around the world are in decline maybe its time we all stopped eating seafood.

[Bluespunk]

"When the license is scrutinized by foreign authorities and found to be incorrect, the Thai Fisheries Department resolves this problem by cancelling licenses which has resulted in fishermen having to stop fishing all together."

Good.

That means less illegal fishing is taking place.

And it wasn't because of the EU that your licences were cancelled. It was because they were illegal licences.

[Bluespunk]

"TOFA president Phubet Channimit said although the fishing association is more than happy to work with the government to resolve any issues, our main problem right now is to address the issue of the EU deciding that Thai fishermen are fishing illegally.

Nope. The main issues are use of slave labour and environmentally destructive, unsustainable fishing practices.

[Bulldozer Dawn]

Two things come to the surface here..

#1..The fishing industry are STILL to arrogant to realise that same as any other sector within any other industry..if your buyers are not happy they'll stop buying from you...so you do what you can to keep the buyer/client/customers happy or you're out of business...but no thainess

prevails as usual...come on EU..pull the plug..!

#2..The Thai authorities are not issuing licences to the whole-salers boats..GOOD...how long does it take the authorities to realise the slave ships, & the illegal ships are staying out of port, & carrying on as usual... with their crew of trafficked slaves, no licence, & trawling for everything.

I for one DO hope the EU are monitoring all that's NOT being done, & can see thru' the usual Thai bulls*** they offer in their reports.

EU can supply the shells and things can be reversed.

Shipwrecks are great sources of new coral growth and spawning grounds for fish.

The bulk of coastal fishes and crustaceans spawn in mangroves. In Thailand most of the mangroves have died, been cleared, or are putrified by trash, oil and other industry run off. The bulk of coastal fish breeding stocks have already collapsed entirely. Catches on most Thai boats now consist entirely of pelagic species. These travel the ocean and spawn offshore. That is why there is still a few fish to catch. However, because this is entirely unregulated, Thai boats keep tiny juvenile pelagics. It follows that pelagic fish stocks are now also critical in Thai waters. They will also collapse in the next few years.

[ChrisY1]

It must be difficult for these fishermen........many have been in the industry for decades and never had any illegality issues........so it must be a shock for them to all of a sudden have to follow new regulations.......so of course they complain....

The government most likely has gone like bull at fence and would expect them to jump.

[Bluespunk]

"Another wholesale buyer said We cant set sail any more simply because the licenses that are available are for fishing boats and trawlers only. Ive submitted an application for a license but was declined. Why cant there be a new license category for wholesale buyer boats as well."

Because there are too many boats already destroying what little stocks remain you pillock.

[tingtongfarang]

For quite some years i watched the fishing stocks in the waters around greece get raped/ depleted by both over fishing and dynamite, the government even offered to pay fishermen to burn their boats which many did but then used the money to buy glass fiber versions,

So it went on uncontrolled until the fishing boats came back empty, still every so often there would be an accident where some guy would get his hands and face blown off fishing with dynamite,

Over my last years residing there i noticed any fish available at the large fish market all came from morocco, the only people still able to get greek fish were spear fishermen free diving poking around in the rocks, the deaths were frequent.

Edited May 9, 2015 by tingtongfarang

[Thongkorn]

Most illegal boats never reach land, they are anchored off shore and the fish is transported on another boat, keeping fishing slaves on board for years. the catch is sorted and all the illigal stuff is spiritless away to smaller ports in inlets and rivers, I have stayed in Sahmut Sahkon and seen it for myself.

Edited May 9, 2015 by Thongkorn

[Lupatria]

One more reason to call this country a mess.

[Robby nz]

"When the license is scrutinized by foreign authorities and found to be incorrect, the Thai Fisheries Department resolves this problem by cancelling licenses which has resulted in fishermen having to stop fishing all together."

Good.

That means less illegal fishing is taking place.

And it wasn't because of the EU that your licences were cancelled. It was because they were illegal licences.

You may just have to have a look at that one again.

What the legal fishermen have said is that it was the licensing Dept that issued the license incorrectly then when they were found to be incorrect it was the fishermen who were in fact blamed for the Govt Dept SNAFU and prevented from fishing when it was not their fault.

Meaning that when the Govt Dept was informed of their mistake instead of fixing it they cancelled the license, easy for them they still get paid while the fisherman either no longer has a income or goes out fishing illegally.

So in actual fact the civil servants are contributing to illegal fishing by removing a license from a legal fisherman to cover their own cock up.

The answer is to get stuck in and license the boats with stringent reporting requirements on catch, crew and fishing area but that would require someone to get off their air conditioned butts and actually work as civil 'servants', not as civil hierarchy who consider themselves something special and lord it over the fishermen.

[fstarbkk]

My heart bleeds for the plight of this unscrupulous greedy bunch of fishermen... NOT!

If their whining is any indication, the government may for once, be on the right track to cleaning up this godawful mess.

[Bluespunk]

"When the license is scrutinized by foreign authorities and found to be incorrect, the Thai Fisheries Department resolves this problem by cancelling licenses which has resulted in fishermen having to stop fishing all together."

Good.

That means less illegal fishing is taking place.

And it wasn't because of the EU that your licences were cancelled. It was because they were illegal licences.

You may just have to have a look at that one again.

What the legal fishermen have said is that it was the licensing Dept that issued the license incorrectly then when they were found to be incorrect it was the fishermen who were in fact blamed for the Govt Dept SNAFU and prevented from fishing when it was not their fault.

Meaning that when the Govt Dept was informed of their mistake instead of fixing it they cancelled the license, easy for them they still get paid while the fisherman either no longer has a income or goes out fishing illegally.

So in actual fact the civil servants are contributing to illegal fishing by removing a license from a legal fisherman to cover their own cock up.

The answer is to get stuck in and license the boats with stringent reporting requirements on catch, crew and fishing area but that would require someone to get off their air conditioned butts and actually work as civil 'servants', not as civil hierarchy who consider themselves something special and lord it over the fishermen.

You may well be right but it's still not the EU's fault.

It's the incompetence of someone here. here.

However I stand by the view that its a good thing there are fewer fishing vessels.

The less the better.

[meekhao1066]

Go into any high end supermarket in Thailand or middle level or local street markets and you will see an abundance of fish on sale. However I hardly ever see the fish being purchased.

I have no idea the wastage involved in this trade but best guesstimate must be well over 50% if not as high as 70% or more.

Yet supposedly markets are making a profit from this therefore the consumer paying far over the odds!

Over fishing to throw away such a high proportion is immoral but replicates the food wastage thought the middle class world.

Out of control completely!

[trogers]

Two things come to the surface here..

#1..The fishing industry are STILL to arrogant to realise that same as any other sector within any other industry..if your buyers are not happy they'll stop buying from you...so you do what you can to keep the buyer/client/customers happy or you're out of business...but no thainess

prevails as usual...come on EU..pull the plug..!

#2..The Thai authorities are not issuing licences to the whole-salers boats..GOOD...how long does it take the authorities to realise the slave ships, & the illegal ships are staying out of port, & carrying on as usual... with their crew of trafficked slaves, no licence, & trawling for everything.

I for one DO hope the EU are monitoring all that's NOT being done, & can see thru' the usual Thai bulls*** they offer in their reports.

EU can supply the shells and things can be reversed.

Shipwrecks are great sources of new coral growth and spawning grounds for fish.

The bulk of coastal fishes and crustaceans spawn in mangroves. In Thailand most of the mangroves have died, been cleared, or are putrified by trash, oil and other industry run off. The bulk of coastal fish breeding stocks have already collapsed entirely. Catches on most Thai boats now consist entirely of pelagic species. These travel the ocean and spawn offshore. That is why there is still a few fish to catch. However, because this is entirely unregulated, Thai boats keep tiny juvenile pelagics. It follows that pelagic fish stocks are now also critical in Thai waters. They will also collapse in the next few years.

The solution I had suggested kills 2 birds with a stone - reduce the fishing fleet and increase breeding grounds for pelagic fish stock.

[simon43]

There are over 50,000 fishing boats in the country however only 16,000 are licensed, he said.

Really not a lot to comment after that statement.....

[RigPig]

Two things come to the surface here..

#1..The fishing industry are STILL to arrogant to realise that same as any other sector within any other industry..if your buyers are not happy they'll stop buying from you...so you do what you can to keep the buyer/client/customers happy or you're out of business...but no thainess

prevails as usual...come on EU..pull the plug..!

#2..The Thai authorities are not issuing licences to the whole-salers boats..GOOD...how long does it take the authorities to realise the slave ships, & the illegal ships are staying out of port, & carrying on as usual... with their crew of trafficked slaves, no licence, & trawling for everything.

I for one DO hope the EU are monitoring all that's NOT being done, & can see thru' the usual Thai bulls*** they offer in their reports.

#1 Business no good, put price up (that´s what we do in Thailand why it not working).......

#2 Yep it´s the wholesaler boats that allows the slave ships to stay off shore and without scrutiny !!!

[RigPig]

"Another wholesale buyer said We cant set sail any more simply because the licenses that are available are for fishing boats and trawlers only. Ive submitted an application for a license but was declined. Why cant there be a new license category for wholesale buyer boats as well."

Because there are too many boats already destroying what little stocks remain you pillock.

And it´s the ¨Wholesale Buyers¨ allowing the illegals to stay out at sea where they can´t be policed.

NEVER give them a license !! ALL fishing boats off loading to Thailand must dock and be checked. How do you stop them off loading to a legit boat and getting paid from them (with an added commission of course).

If they are caught blow them out of the water !!! (or something similar, you know get the slaves off first)....

[chilli42]

...the challenge now is to have all boats licensed as quickly as possible. We need to enforce rule of law". Enforce the rule of law, now that seems like a drastic step. What happened to delay, postpone, obfuscate ... these work so well to maintain the status quo

[RigPig]

Most illegal boats never reach land, they are anchored off shore and the fish is transported on another boat, keeping fishing slaves on board for years. the catch is sorted and all the illigal stuff is spiritless away to smaller ports in inlets and rivers, I have stayed in Sahmut Sahkon and seen it for myself.

¨and the fish is transported on another boat,¨

Yep dead right, the wholesalers boat, transferring the catch at sea, and now they are whining because they can´t keep doing it !!!

[mango66]

not all this 50.000 vessels are used for fishing !

Transport of refugees from India, Bangladesh, Pakistan also a very good business for them ;

just put some nets and boxes on deck !!

and you go for fishing the THB in cash !!