New laws 'too weak' to solve local fishery problems: NGOs
PRATCH RUJIVANAROM
THE NATION


Banjong Nasae, second from left, highlights the weaknesses of the new Fisheries Act at a discussion forum held at the Greenpeace Southeast Asia Office in Bangkok yesterday.

Agencies call for stricter measures including ban on destructive fishing

BANGKOK: -- THE NEW Fisheries Act is not enough to solve the problems of the Thai fishery sector and the sustainable restoration of Thai natural sea resources, according to some prominent NGOs.

The discussion forum at Greenpeace's Southeast Asia office yesterday came out with four suggestions from the concerned agencies on the 2015 Fisheries Act: Outlaw the destructive fishery equipment; stop the registration of illegal trawlers; strictly enforce the fisheries law and strengthen the inspection system; and cooperate with neighbouring countries on regional fishery management.

Banjong Nasae, president of the Thai Sea Watch Association, said the new act did not forbid the real destroyers of marine natural resources - trawl nets, push nets and fishing trawlers with fish-attracting lights, which diminish many types of fish juveniles and lessen the country's seafood stock.

"The government apparently concentrates on meeting the IUU [illegal unregulated and unreported fisheries) regulations by registering the illegal trawlers but ignores the country's marine natural resource management," Banjong said.

He advised the government to stop the new registration of these trawlers, which many countries such as the Philippines and Indonesia have already abolished.

"There are three possible measures the government could take - first, use its power to prohibit this destructive fishing immediately; second, compensate trawler owners and take over their trawlers and, thirdly, allow these trawlers to register, unless their exports are banned by the European Union," he stated.

Supaporn Anuchiracheeva, from the Earth Net Foundation, pointed out that the new act is broadly written and still needs smaller laws to clarify it in detail, which leads to the problem in implementing the law in reality.

"The port-in, port-out measure is one example of the policy which cannot be fully implemented because there are many fishing piers along the shore - not only the 26 port-in, port-out stations of the government," Supaporn said.

Local Fisheries Association of Thailand president Wichoksak Ronarongpairee pointed out that the agencies all hoped the new act would solve every problem - but he said it was too good to be true as the power to enforce the law is held by only a small number of high-ranking bureaucrats.

"The law enforcement in reality is very problematic, as there are only a few officers and a few boats to cover the vast sea area. The inattention of the officers is also the problem as in many cases the officers were not keen to watch over and arrest the illegal fishing offenders," Wichoksak said.

He also revealed that the punishment of illegal fishing is too weak as Section 99 of the new Fisheries Act allows the officers to impose fines on almost all law-breaking activities under the act and was too extensive.

"These offenders are not afraid of costly fines. They can pay a fine and then continue their illegal fishing, which brings in more money than the fine," he said.

He suggested that local fishing communities should have an opportunity to help the authorities look after and promote the sustainable use of marine resources.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/New-laws-too-weak-to-solve-local-fishery-problems--30260036.html


-- The Nation 2015-05-14

Forget it folks, all the laws in the world mean nothing unless they are enforced.

Forget it folks, all the laws in the world mean nothing unless they are enforced.

They don't understand thai way.

Forget it folks, all the laws in the world mean nothing unless they are enforced.

They don't understand thai way.

Maybe that's what keeps them centuries ahead...

Lol "laws" isn't the problem in a country run by the military. Next excuse please...

Of COURSE the laws will be weak. They don't want to piss off the real bosses!

They guy obviously is smart and talks common sense ... unfortunately his target audience are either morons or they are complicit in protecting those to benefit from illegal fishing.

this falks of officials will only collect bribes,

but never enforce the law !

Thailand,

Corruption and bribe,

top words for any one in this country !

The up ones which take,

and the low ones and criminals which pays !

forget LOS-

now its

LOCCB

( Land of crime,corruption,bribe)

Of COURSE the laws will be weak. They don't want to piss off the real bosses!

who will be so stupid to kill a milking cow ??

only we Europeans :-((

Perhaps if the EU and the US impose a one-year reduction of imported Thai seafood to 70% of last year that might help the Thai government UNDERSTAND how serious countries take illegal fishing.

Perhaps if the EU and the US impose a one-year reduction of imported Thai seafood to 70% of last year that might help the Thai government UNDERSTAND how serious countries take illegal fishing.

How about 0%? That might get their attention.

Of COURSE the laws will be weak. They don't want to piss off the real bosses!

who will be so stupid to kill a milking cow ??

only we Europeans :-((

Are you comparing the milking of a cow to IUU?? You should thry to get your money back from your Mommy as she clearly failed in the ethics and morality part of your upbringing...

Forget it folks, all the laws in the world mean nothing unless they are enforced.

Are there laws in Thailand for anything, I know they have day to day rule changes and that's about it