Thai Agriculture Min admits inability to end IUU fishing by EU deadline

[webfact]

Agriculture Min admits inability to end IUU fishing by deadline

BANGKOK, 5 June 2015 (NNT) – Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives Petipong Pungbun Na Ayudhya has indicated a possibility that Thailand’s effort to eradicate illegal fishing will not yet be successful within the six-month deadline given by the European Union.

After Thailand was given a yellow card by the EU due to its failure to comply with the Regulation on Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing, Mr Petipong affirmed the government has clearly demonstrated its determination to address the issue. Personally, he believes it is unlikely for Thailand to become completely free from the problem of IUU fishing in a matter of only six months as demanded by the EU. However, he insisted that the goal will eventually be achieved with the cooperation from all sectors.

At present, the minister sees the need for the government to beef up its control of fishing methods that can be harmful to the environment and make amendments to the existing fishery laws for higher effectiveness. He said the overall operational plan will also have to be improved in order to restore the EU’s confidence while anticipating more clarity on the plan within this month.

Regarding the management of fishery workers to prevent human trafficking, Mr Petipong conceded it is a difficult task despite the ministry’s cooperation with the Royal Thai Navy and the Immigration Bureau. According to him, the inspection of fishing vessels departing and arriving at the port is especially hard to manage while the shortage of workers on board experienced by some operators is another issue to be addressed.


-- NNT 2015-06-05

[englishoak]

Lets hope the EU sticks to its deadline, sadly its the only language Thailand understands

[NongKhaiKid]

If I've got it right the Japanese have give a reprieve on the air safety issue or at least that's what's claimed.

I suppose a extension of the EU dealing will be sought but if that fails there will be a complaint about others not ' understanding '. Many do understand and know LoS will do nothing until their back is to the wall and even then still look for a way out.

Let's face it with regards to human trafficking, fishing and air safety plenty of warnings have been given but LoS didn't exactly leap into action.

Edited June 4, 2015 by NongKhaiKid

[arthurboy]

Be careful. The man from the Ministry may be bluffing, and everything is on schedule.

Or not...

[GoodThaiGirl]

lazy and corrupt..does that answer the question for everyone..

[FireMedic]

Personally, he believes it is unlikely for Thailand to become completely free from the problem of IUU fishing in a matter of only six months as demanded by the EU.

We all have watches, they have all the time. Time will pass, things will continue to go unchanged. They could give a rat's toss about what the EU says. They will make as much money as they can and when the hammer falls, they will retire to their mountain retreat....mia nois in tow.

[Just1Voice]

If the EU does slap them with a Red Card, it's highly likely the US will follow suit, and if that happens, Thailand is well and truly screwed.

[geriatrickid]

How hard is it to be responsible?

One of the reasons why there is a problem off the coast of Somalia with pirates is because the local Somali fishing areas were overfished by foreign fleets. The local fisherman had lost their livelihoods and turned to piracy. Guess which nation had a significant presence of the coast of Somalia?

This quote from the House of Ocean sums up the Thai situation very nicely;

Routine commercial narratives evidence attitudes where business as usual, and turning a blind eye to stock erosion and illegality creep, are rife. A good illustration of such attitudes was a recent comment made to the Thai press by the head from a national fishery association, asserting his view that the yellow card presented to Thailand over IUU fishing by the EU must have more to do with protectionism and political intervention rather than with the relevance of Thailand’s mismanagement of the considerable presence of IUU activity in their production chains (not to mention the serious mistreatment of people, including their trafficking and abuse, marring the Thai seafood industry). If a comment ever represented a lack of consciousness as well as conscience, then this is it. The interviewee’s suggestion that Thailand should seek to export to the Middle East, rather than put in an effort to clean up its act is sadly representative of a type of viewpoint that prioritises short-term, entrenched approaches that are not only ultimately doomed to failure, but which also represent a real risk for all administrations working toward long term, rational and fair approaches to seafood production and trade.

6 months is too long. Whether it is 30 days or 1 year, Thailand will not comply.

Thailand's annual exports to the EU are estimated to be worth between 575 million euros and 730 million euros (539 million pounds).

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

How hard is it to be responsible?

Here, in such matters, of course the answer is nearly impossible!

[Lupatria]

Maybe it’s time to get “Mr. I-fix-it-in-90-days” out of rehab…

[Praematura]

One could see a dysfunctional democratic country having problems with implementation but what's the rationale when dear leader has absolute power?

[daiwill60]

If the EU does slap them with a Red Card, it's highly likely the US will follow suit, and if that happens, Thailand is well and truly screwed.

Yes , but isn't there another post on here today regarding how USA wants a bigger share in what is happening in Thailand now.

Maybe they could create a new fishing infrastructure that does away with cheap manual laborers needed on fishing boats and provide automated fishing boats or something.

Anyway, the way I see it is the Thai Authorities couldn't stop what is going on in the industry, even if they wanted to, due to lack of education , training and resources, all leading toward one thing , THEY WOULDNT HAVE A BLOODY CLUE WHERE TO BEGIN ERRADICATING the problems.

[FangFerang]

The government needs to issue this statement: "We can't do anything about enslaving our own people, except bring them home when some mangy reporter" pauses to spit "makes the Kingdom look bad. There is no connection between human slavery, human trafficking (they are just illegal aliens, after all) and Thai fishing. Scientists even said the Gulf of Thailand is completely fished out, so without illegal fishing we have no fish."

[quandow]

This is a grave human rights issue and should have been dealt with YEARS ago. This isn't some political football to be kicked around nor poo-pooed. There is NO WAY that ANYONE believes the government was unaware of this issue - hell, immigration was caught on video shipping the illegal migrants in government vehicles.

OK, Thailand, you got caught. Fess up and make this a priority. PM, you implemented a coup in less than six months, didn't you? I suspect if this solution was something you REALLY wanted, you'd make it happen.

[lvr181]

How long has the current regime been in power? Really, they have had at least 12 months to deal with this IUU problem! But no, they have to be hit between the eyes yet again before they do anything and then they scream blue bloody murder that they do not have enough time? Cut the "mai pen rai" attitude and do what needs to be done if you want to succeed in helping your "ordinary" citizens improve their lifestyles.

[Cake Monster]

All the issues that Thailand has with IUU, Air Authorities Etc, Etc, ETc, have been bought about by poor governance.

Nuf said

[lvr181]

All the issues that Thailand has with IUU, Air Authorities Etc, Etc, ETc, have been bought about by poor governance.

Nuf said

Yup and after the etcs., I would have added ad infinitum ad nauseam