Thai fishing vessels to stop fishing July 1 to avoid arrest

[webfact]

Fishing vessels to stop fishing July 1 to avoid arrest



BANGKOK: -- Fishing operators may stop fishing in high sea tomorrow when the government is to begin enforcing laws drastically with illegal fishing July 1.

Movement by fishing operators who are members of fishing associations came as the Command Center for Illegal Fishing (CCIF) reaffirmed today that as of July 1, active regulating of illegal fishing will be carried out.

The director-general of the Naval Civil Affairs Department Vice Admiral Jumphol Lumphikanon who heads the CCIF Public Relations Department, stated that it was time for authorities to make headway in regulating the fishing industry as a grace period of 2 months had been given for all fishing vessels to comply with regulations.

But he was concerned over the planned strike and warned all involved parties to consider the fallout of their actions before contemplating any action.

The action was necessary as the European Union has threatened to ban Thai marine exports if it does not resolve illegal fishing problem and labor abuses in the industry in six-month time.

Reacting fast to the CCIF’s statement are fishing vessels based in Songkhla province when they were trickling back to the shore to offload their catches in order to participate in the Songkhla Province Fishing Association meeting to decide on their actions regarding the authorities’ announcement.

The decision will then be passed on to all boat skippers tomorrow.

The meeting was called to address the CCIF’s announcement that it will begin to seize vessels involved in illegal fishing operations beginning Wednesday July 1.

The association revealed that no less than 90% of its members have been significantly affected by the authorities’ recent strict control of ‘port-in, port-out’ (PIPO) for all shipping vessels. Furthermore, almost of these vessels do not possess proper documentation that allows them to fish legally in Thailand’s waters.

Data released from the PIPO center reveals that the majority of fishing vessels in the country do not possess the necessary documentation and very few of these are equipped with boat tracking equipment. Furthermore, only a small number of these vessels took the time to register their crew legally.

In a related development, the chairman of the Mae Klong Fishing Association based in Samut Songkram province, voiced concerns that if fishing boats went on strike then there will be a dramatic chain reaction affecting the entire fishing industry.

Foremost, the Mae Klong Fishing Association Market which on a daily basis distributes approximately 45 tons of fishery products worth in excess of 22 million baht will be badly affected.

As a consequence, nationwide supply of seafood will slump which will directly affect tourism. More importantly, the livelihood of all fishermen and their families will be at risk.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/fishing-vessels-to-stop-fishing-july-1-to-avoid-arrest


-- Thai PBS 2015-06-30

[englishoak]

May stop fishing ?

Taking Thai style into account thats probably a very accurate assumption.

[chainarong]

I wouldn't get too carried away , withdrawing your fishing boats may put you on the road to nowhere, there are other countries in the area that can continue supply to the factories , they might even be cheaper than what you can supply at , cutting off your nose to spite your face as they say proves nothing , one way to compromise is to abide by the new regulations and become a responsible operator , player in the international fishing industry , probably asking too much here.

[Bluespunk]

"Reacting fast to the CCIFs statement are fishing vessels based in Songkhla province when they were trickling back to the shore to offload their catches in order to participate in the Songkhla Province Fishing Association meeting to decide on their actions regarding the authorities announcement."

List of actions required to be taken:

1: obey they law.

2: that's it.

[CWMcMurray]

Wait a minute .... It seems to say that Illegal fishermen vow to stop finishing if the current laws are enforced..,

Isn't that the goal???

Isn't this a good thing?

Then the next step is to discuss with those illegal fisherman to find out if any can be made legal... If not, then leaves the market open for others wanting to come into the marketplace the legal way

As so long as some do in the illegal way, those willing to go the legal route can not compete

This seems like a good thing, and a great first step

[Oziex1]

Taking action in July to meet an August deadline.

[quandow]

Other countries fishing LEGALLY will be glad to fill in for you.

Thainess at its best . . .

[h90]

Other countries fishing LEGALLY will be glad to fill in for you.

Thainess at its best . . .

Also other countries fishing illegal will be glad to fill in....there are not few.

[FangFerang]

The boat owners, not wanting to spend money to be registered and have legal workers and fishing grounds, are threatening the Thai middlemen and packing factories. They believe this will force the government to declare enforcement and not perform enforcement, and which might happen.

If the government sits tight, the boat owners will calculate how much their losses will be if they have to pay for a "strike" (which is what this threat is actually), and also pay to register and be monitored and pay sailors a faitrr wage and decent working conditions.

The whole whine from the illegal fisherman is this "If I have to follow the law and cannot treat native Thais and others like slaves, I can't make a million baht a month anymore. 700,000 a month would be sheer poverty." [ Insert alligator tears here. ]

[natway09]

This needs to happen to clean up the industry.

No pain, no gain

[Srikcir]

I can't wait to see the Royal Thai Navy arrest all the striking fishermen, boat owners and confiscate the boats.

Not to do so otherwise would make the navy look like a paper carp.

Not to do so would imply the navy itself has some complicity that could be used to blackmail it from any overt action.

[seajae]

well we can all se how badly educated these idiots really are, threatening to stop fishing if they have to follow the laws, get proper licences, register their boats, register their crews and have tracking devices fitted, that would ruin most of them as they fish in illegal waters with illegal crews and no licence. Hope they simply drag all these sh*t heap boats up onto a beach and torch the lot of them and toss these morons and their sorry into jail

Edited June 30, 2015 by seajae

[Stradavarius37]

Wait a minute .... It seems to say that Illegal fishermen vow to stop finishing if the current laws are enforced..,

Isn't that the goal???

Isn't this a good thing?

Then the next step is to discuss with those illegal fisherman to find out if any can be made legal... If not, then leaves the market open for others wanting to come into the marketplace the legal way

As so long as some do in the illegal way, those willing to go the legal route can not compete

This seems like a good thing, and a great first step

It is a good thing - they are just too stupid to see it. Keep em in port forever...

[Thai at Heart]

Are they saying that nearly 90% of boats lack proper paperwork. And they let this go on for how many years?

[Jonmarleesco]

'The action was necessary as the European Union has threatened to ban Thai marine exports ...' And not because we expect you to follow the law.

[Alwyn]

I'm looking forward to August time when all the posters on here who are saying "be legal or stop/get arrested" etc start whining on how the price of fish has risen " you used to be able to buy a whole sole for 200 baht" type stuff...

[PETERTHEEATER]

Definitive 'Fishing vessels to stop fishing'

Followed by 'may stop fishing'

So, if the reporter doesn't know, how are we to know?

When will I read 'Twenty million motorcyclists to stop riding tomorrow to avoid fines for no licences'?

[Soutpeel]

As a consequence, nationwide supply of seafood will slump which will directly affect tourism.

Why ? no one comes to Thailand for the specific purpose of eating the sea food

As a consequence, nationwide supply of seafood Prostitutes will slump which will directly affect tourism.

now that would be true

Edited June 30, 2015 by Soutpeel

[Jay Sata]

Can someone explain why most of the skippers of these boats were Cambodian?

Could be something to do with low wages and Thais not prepared to be slaves?

Unregulated and free to fish where and when they wanted in the past the lucrative pilaging of the sea looks

like it has come to an end.

I shed no tears.

[Oziex1]

I'm looking forward to August time when all the posters on here who are saying "be legal or stop/get arrested" etc start whining on how the price of fish has risen " you used to be able to buy a whole sole for 200 baht" type stuff...

You don't really believe that do you and any posters actually eating Thai seafood need to think again.