Seafood industry expects EU to pull 'yellow card'
PETCHANET PRATRUANGKRAI
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- THAI EXPORTERS and processors of seafood and fishmeal say they are confident that tougher fishing rules will improve the European Union's estimation of this country's efficiency in fishery management, while the export sector should not be affected by a short-term docking of fishing boats for inspection.

Nuntawan Sakuntanaga, director-general of the International Trade Promotion Department, came to that conclusion after a meeting with the Thai Frozen Foods Association, the Thai Tuna Industry Association, the Thai Fishmeal Producers Association, and Charoen Pokphand Foods.

"With stringently [enforced] concrete measures to combat problems related to illegal fishing, the business sector has fully supported the government's actions to stop illegal fishing and foresees a brighter outlook for the fishery industry in the future," she said.

Nuntawan said the fishmeal industry would be hit hardest by the mooring of vessels while they are inspected for compliance with the regulations. However, enterprises could adjust their production, while relying more on by-products from the tuna industry, which in turn does not rely heavily on local catches.

Sanguansak Akaravarinechai, president of the Thai Fishmeal Producers Association, said this industry's raw materials came from fish-processing plants as well as from local catches. As a result of the temporary docking of boats, the price of fishmeal may increase by about 5-10 per cent, or about Bt1-Bt2 a kilogram. However, it should not affect the whole supply chain of feed meal and aquaculture as fishmeal accounts for only a small proportion for feed-meal production.

Chanintr Chalisarapong, president of the Thai Tuna Industry Association, said more than 80-90 per cent of the industry used imported tuna. The short-term docking should not affect the industry.

He agreed with the government's stringent measures to tackle illegal fishing as it should create long-term benefits for the country.

Chanintr added that with this serious attempt by the government to combat illegal fishing, the EU should release Thailand from its "yellow card" warning over illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing in its report due by October.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/business/Seafood-industry-expects-EU-to-pull-yellow-card-30263728.html

-- The Nation 2015-07-04

They must believe that EU can be duped as easy as the Thai population.

Serious attempt by the Govt is a joke , if they had regulated from the beginning it would be easy but now trying to shut the stable door after the horse has bolted is NOT going to be easy.

"Nuntawan Sakuntanaga, director-general of the International Trade Promotion Department, came to that conclusion after a meeting with the Thai Frozen Foods Association, the Thai Tuna Industry Association, the Thai Fishmeal Producers Association, and Charoen Pokphand Foods."

Yeah, might want to check with the EU first before sounding so confident…..although, to be fair, the fishing boat owners are having such hissy fits about what they are being told to do, the govt might be on the way to solving the issue.

Long way to go though, long, long, way to go.

Serious attempt by the Govt is a joke , if they had regulated from the beginning it would be easy but now trying to shut the stable door after the horse has bolted is NOT going to be easy.

Agreed I love the phrase "serious attempt". Come on EU, drop the yellow card, we tried our bestest :-)

Do they have to drop the yellow card when they issue the red card?

'Cause that's the only way I see it happening...

"Nuntawan Sakuntanaga, director-general of the International Trade Promotion Department, came to that conclusion after a meeting with the Thai Frozen Foods Association, the Thai Tuna Industry Association, the Thai Fishmeal Producers Association, and Charoen Pokphand Foods."

Yeah, might want to check with the EU first before sounding so confident…..although, to be fair, the fishing boat owners are having such hissy fits about what they are being told to do, the govt might be on the way to solving the issue.

Long way to go though, long, long, way to go.

Somewhat alike the 'hissy fit' the tuk tuk/'limo' drivers and beach vendors threw and now everything's back to how it was before? Be assured this will happen with the trawlers.

"Nuntawan Sakuntanaga, director-general of the International Trade Promotion Department, came to that conclusion after a meeting with the Thai Frozen Foods Association, the Thai Tuna Industry Association, the Thai Fishmeal Producers Association, and Charoen Pokphand Foods."

Yeah, might want to check with the EU first before sounding so confident…..although, to be fair, the fishing boat owners are having such hissy fits about what they are being told to do, the govt might be on the way to solving the issue.

Long way to go though, long, long, way to go.

Somewhat alike the 'hissy fit' the tuk tuk/'limo' drivers and beach vendors threw and now everything's back to how it was before? Be assured this will happen with the trawlers.

Maybe, but in this case it's the EU that is watching and they will reimpose the yellow card if there is any backsliding.

Their market, their rules.

It never fails to astound me how presumptuous Thai officialdom can be. If the word 'expects' was substituted by 'hopes that' then it would be far more reasonable.

"Nuntawan Sakuntanaga, director-general of the International Trade Promotion Department, came to that conclusion after a meeting with the Thai Frozen Foods Association, the Thai Tuna Industry Association, the Thai Fishmeal Producers Association, and Charoen Pokphand Foods.

"With stringently [enforced] concrete measures to combat problems related to illegal fishing, the business sector has fully supported the government's actions to stop illegal fishing and foresees a brighter outlook for the fishery industry in the future," she said."

The underline is mine.

Stringently enforced concrete measures.... dream on...

There seems to be some misunderstanding about true compliance and a fleet of legally registered fishing boats. Just because the unregistered boats are parked up, so what.

The registered trawlers are just as capable of fishing illegally as they may have done in the past. What has changed apart from the unregistered vessels staying in port.

Yes I am aware of many of the new rules GPS tracking, port in Port out etc. I am also aware of the potential for zero enforcement and the ease of avoiding enforcement.

I look forward to the compliance of the Thai fishing industry, I'm not holding my breath though.

EU know exactly what is going on in Thailand. They also know the terrible human rights record of trawler fishing boats now catching 'blood prawns' as they are better known. Ban of importing Thai products is the only solution for the country to change. Hurt them in the pocket I say, as it seems money is the only thing they understand.

As soon as the EU-inspectors leave, the thousands of unregistered trawlers are headed for the sea again...

They will get another yellow Card and we all know 2 yellow Cards mean ...

When a vessel is registered that doesn't mean that she does not fish ilegally or use slaves. It only would be easier to "catch" the owners in a raid.

For...'Thailand Expects'........read.. 'Thailand Dreams' .

Serious attempt by the Govt is a joke , if they had regulated from the beginning it would be easy but now trying to shut the stable door after the horse has bolted is NOT going to be easy.

To which government are you referring? This has been going on for years, long before P.M Prayuth was a general.

Serious attempt by the Govt is a joke , if they had regulated from the beginning it would be easy but now trying to shut the stable door after the horse has bolted is NOT going to be easy.

To which government are you referring? This has been going on for years, long before P.M Prayuth was a general.

Dosnt matter, its on this ones watch its finally exploded.

Now all that remains is to see if they deal with it or the EU does.

Personally I hope they get a red card for a few years before being allowed back in because its the only language Thailand understands.

If they allow Thailand to slip by again now with this pathetic whining and grumbling lip service these unlicensed craft will, we all know be right back out there doing what they have always done with the usual impunity.

Stringently enforced measures..... Hahaha! You mean enforced on those who don't pay up. Enforced on a whim or not, whatever. Maybe mai pben rai after a short while of enforcement.

....soon as foreign press leaves.

Indeed. It is so stringent, that the boats are all in port and are refusing to upgrade or change anything.

As though the European industry hasn't been reading the news for the last couple of days... Serious efforts? They are at a complete impasse and NO IMPROVEMENT has been proven yet at all

Serious attempt by the Govt is a joke , if they had regulated from the beginning it would be easy but now trying to shut the stable door after the horse has bolted is NOT going to be easy.

Especially in LOS (Lack of Sanctions) Thailand.

Has any Thai official/court heard about consequences for "breaking" the law? lol Laws in Thailand .... now that's funny.

SO four Thai organizations grouped together to ammounce what the EU thinks...

Really?