Thailand seen as unlikely to meet EU's fishing standards

[webfact]

Thailand seen as unlikely to meet EU's fishing standards
PRATCH RUJIVANAROM
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- THE AUTHORITIES, the business sector and NGOs all predict that Thailand's rank on the illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (IUU) list will not improve, despite the strict measures being implemented by the government.

After four months of effort to tackle the IUU fishing situation since Thailand received the yellow card from the European Union in April, no one is confident that Thailand's situation will be any better when the next IUU ranking is released in October.

Many controversies have also emerged from the implementation of the policy to stop illegal fishing and regulate the long-ignored problems within the fishing industry. Many trawler owners complained that they cannot go fishing because their boats are now illegal, but local fishermen still think the government's policy is not strict enough to pass the IUU standard.

"We do our best on everything we can to tackle the IUU fishing, but the result of our efforts is up to the EU inspectors," said Joompol Sanguansin, director general of the Fisheries Department.

He stated that within a short period of time, the Command Centre for Combating Illegal Fishing (CCCIF) implemented many measures to solve the IUU fishing problems, such as fine-tuning the fisheries law, registering fishing vessels, port in-port out inspections, installing vessel tracking devices and banning four destructive types of fishing equipment.

The four banned types of fishing equipment are push nets, fishing net traps, anchovy dip nets on light boats and set bag nets.

"Our rank may not increase but I am sure that we will not be given the red card," he said.

Monkol Sukcharenkana, vice president of the Thailand Fishery Association, said even with the new strict measures, the country's rank will not be improved. He pointed out that the EU does not trust the current government, which came to power in an undemocratic way.

"This is all about politics. Despite us doing our best, they [EU] will not approve our effort," Monkol said.

"Previously, the fishermen cooperated with the government on every aspect to tackle the IUU fishing, but I think the measures were implemented in very short period of time and it hurt many operators together with subsequent industries," he said.

Due to the limited time the fishing operators had to comply with new regulations, he said, 90 per cent of fishing vessels could not put to sea early in July, which affected downstream industries and cast a shadow on the country's economy.

He also pointed out that the trawlers and other fishermen who used banned equipment were wrongly blamed for the degrading marine ecology and asked the government for proper compensation.

"We are ready to comply with the government's policy but the fishermen need to sustain their families as well, so we ask the government for the full compensation in order to let them find a new job," he said.

In contrast to the fishing operators' perspective, Banjong Nasae, president of the Thai Sea Watch Association, said the government's measures to solve the IUU fishing problem are still not good enough.

"I can see that the government is earnest in tackling the problem but I am worried that many of the measures were not properly implemented and otter trawlers with very destructive fishing equipment were still allowed to operate," Banjong noted.

He pointed out that the aim of the IUU fishing regulations was to ensure that the fish are caught in a sustainable and traceable way, but the CCCIF still compromises with the otter trawlers, which he stated operated in a way that was harmful to the natural resources.

"I'm glad that other destructive types fishing equipment have been banned but the otter trawler should be banned too. I can assure you that even widening the net to just seven centimetres is destructive because it pulls and destroys everything on the sea bed," he explained.

"Despite the overall effort, I am not sure that Thailand's rank will climb this October," he added.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Thailand-seen-as-unlikely-to-meet-EUs-fishing-stan-30265769.html


-- The Nation 2015-08-03

[NongKhaiKid]

Now that really is a major shock !

Just who would have thought it ?

[bangkokfrog]

He also pointed out that the trawlers and other fishermen who used banned equipment were wrongly blamed for the degrading marine ecology and asked the government for proper compensation.

Who else is to blame for degrading the marine ecology? And why should they be compensated, as they have been raping the ocean for decades?

"We are ready to comply with the government's policy but the fishermen need to sustain their families as well, so we ask the government for the full compensation in order to let them find a new job," he said.

Why can't they sustain their families if they comply with the government's policy? Other (legal) fisherman all over the world do. Or is it that they have to pay too much to the behind the scenes "mafia" masters?

[Ulic]

Not our fault, and we need full compensation. No surprises here.

[soalbundy]

They trawl for otters ??

[Jimlove]

"This is all about politics. Despite us doing our best, they [EU] will not approve our effort," Monkol said.

Isn´t it just lovely once again to hear how its somebody else´s fault ... never thai fault, just not possible, must be farang not understand Thainess ...

"Despite us doing our best" ... hahaha and when has that ever been good enough anywhere in the World - face it Thailand, you are just in the lowest division in every categori ...

[godden]

Blame he not me, that's Thai philosophy.

[Baerboxer]

"This is all about politics. Despite us doing our best, they [EU] will not approve our effort," Monkol said.

Isn´t it just lovely once again to hear how its somebody else´s fault ... never thai fault, just not possible, must be farang not understand Thainess ...

"Despite us doing our best" ... hahaha and when has that ever been good enough anywhere in the World - face it Thailand, you are just in the lowest division in every categori ...

Yep - they even lie to themselves.

The refuse to believe anything they do is wrong or harming the environment and have little or no intention of changing the way they do things. So, it's easier to pretend they've done their best, which in reality is f/all and blame the EU or any other foreigner. Must be political - guess they learned that one from some politicians!

They refuse to accept any consequences of their actions and believe every problem can be solved by paying someone some money,

[biplanebluey]

They trawl for otters ??

Obviously not but what intrigued me more was the remark of the (Mouth?) of the net set at 7 centimeters-------- SEVEN????

and that's what it has been WIDENED TO ??????????

Edited August 3, 2015 by biplanebluey

[timewilltell]

Typical Thainess - not our fault. Some people think Thais are excused because they are stupid. They may not be educated very well but they are very adept at spinning tales of bull and Pretence. If they spent as much effort in really trying to solve problems rather than trying to cover up the <deleted> with false excuses and downright lies then they might actually achieve something.

I think finally other countries are wising up to their deceit and holding them to task which can only be good for Thailand in the long run.

[retarius]

A terrible shame for the victims in all this nonsense...the Thai fishing boat owners....they should be compensated fully and adequately.

[cornishcarlos]

A terrible shame for the victims in all this nonsense...the Thai fishing boat owners....they should be compensated fully and adequately.

You are joking right ? Please tell me you are joking...

[lujanit]

A terrible shame for the victims in all this nonsense...the Thai fishing boat owners....they should be compensated fully and adequately.

Are you saying that the owners of unlicensed, unregistered fishing boats who have been carrying out illegal fishing should be compensated by the Government. Man, what planet do you live on?

[seajae]

cant help themselves, they did not have the correct fishing licenses, boats were not registered, they were using slaves, they used illegal fishing equipment but want compensation for correcting it all, only in Thailand do we see people doing illegal things wanting compensation to stop doing it, what else can we expect from these morons.

[Dap]

I believe that with all of Thailand's "implementation", it is for naught without

proper "police follow up". Without the "rule of law", enforcement (most of all)

on the "high seas" there will forever be oceans laid to waste by those in power

who care less of the future worlds son's and daughters as long as "they" have

their own backrooms over-stuffed with boxes of their ill-gotten gains.

Edited August 3, 2015 by Dap

[trainman34014]

No news here...move on please to the next subject where 'we did our best'. Try Airlines and Airports.