Military junta’s fishing gear ban shock most legal fishing trawlers

[Lite Beer]

Military junta’s fishing gear ban shock most legal fishing trawlers

BANGKOK: -- The latest ban of possession and use of six kinds of fishing gears by the head of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha has been a shock to the fishing industry with outcry from thousands of owners of fishing boats in coastal provinces and fishing association that they are not prepared for such lightning action.

They came out in meetings calling on the prime minister to suspend enforcement of the order so they will have time to adapt themselves.

They said their boats have legal licences and the order affect legal boat operators.

They said the new order was not clearly defined and difficult to understand.

The junta head’s order prompted a meeting of over a hundred of legally registered push net fishing boat operators at Wat Kamphra temple located in Bang Ya Praek sub-district in Samut Sakorn municipality.

The meeting was an attempt to come up with a creditable petition which will be handed over to the NCPO as well as the Command Center for Combating Illegal Fishing (CCCIF) over bans that will have detrimental effects on their operations even though their vessels have been legally registered and complies with international fishing standards.

In all, more than 300 push net fishing vessels operate from Samut Sakhon province.

Meanwhile more than 200 push net fishermen at Wat Sri Suntharam also held a meeting to discuss the government’s ban and find a solution to the problem so that they can continue to fishing.

The meeting was attended by legally registered vessel operators, large and small as well as other rogue boat operators.

In the meeting, they complained that the government should have sent officials to study the actual conditions in which push net fishermen were operating before hastily announcing the ban.

Furthermore, they commented that they should have been given time to adapt to the new laws and be given the opportunity to find alternative fishing methods before being banned from carrying out push net fishing indefinitely.

The meeting closed with a resolution to petition the Administrative Court to intervene on their behalf or in the worse case petition His Majesty the King.

Similarly, fishermen in neighbouring Samut Songkram province also organized a hasty meeting following the ban which took them by surprise and does not allow them any time to adjust.

Fishermen here are asking for a 90-day leniency period citing that most of them have no inclination of all the details involved with the new law.

In either development, encircling net anchovy fishermen in Rayong province also held similar meetings and complained that the new laws will severely affect their livelihood.

Fishermen here are imploring the government to help them and to reconsider its decision to invoke Article 44.

They state that they have not fished for the last 40 days as a result of a previous announcement requiring them legally register their vessels and now shockingly are faced with new bans that will cripple their operations.

The secretary-general of the Thai Overseas Fisheries Association meanwhile, commented that the invoking of Article 44 to tackle illegal fishing operations was commendable but the new bans are now affecting legally registered fishing boats as well.

Furthermore, many fishing vessels in Nakhon Si Thammarat province have been docked for some time now as they have yet to comply with new regulations and the new ban will be viewed as a further obstacle for them.

A major meeting is being planned by the association with its members to find ways out of the debacle.

The invoking of Article 44 puts a ban on 6 types of fishing gears such as push nets, encircling nets, set bag or stow nets, otter trawl, day anchovy purse seine and anchovy falling nets.

More importantly, unregistered fishing vessels are to be seized, destroyed, or decommissioned.

Anyone found not complying with the new laws will face a fine of between 100,000 – 500,000 Baht and/or a 5 year jail term.

Gen Prayut’s order is the latest of a host of measures adopted by the government to deal with the problem of illegal, unreported and unregistered fishing in light of European Union’s putting pressure on Thailand to address the problem of illegal fishing and the use of slave labour in fishing industry.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/military-juntas-fishing-gear-ban-shock-most-legal-fishing-trawlers

-- Thai PBS 2015-08-08

[clockman]

Never ready, for anything. Just Thainess

[jpinx]

EU and USA pressure seems to be screwing the Thai fishermen badly.

[seajae]

what a joke these people are, this has been stated now for some time and has been in the news but they are trying to claim they have only just been told. Ignoring the regulations you dont like does not equate to not being informed, they have known these nets/practices are illegal for quite some time but simply ignored them as it meant making more money. The govt needs to comer down very hard on them and destroy the questionable nets and seize the boats, throwing offending owners who refuse into jail should also be an option along with big fines. Under no circumstances must they give them more grace time as they were told about this months ago but they simply refused to do anything about it. Time now for action against them, show then that the laws are there to be obeyed, these nets have been illegal for years but they simply refused to do anything about it.

[worgeordie]

Don't worry a U-turn will be along shortly.

regards Worgeordie

[Toknarok]

If this ban is strictly enforced it will reduce the amount of fish caught. Great for the preservation of fish stocks but it will mean fish prices will likely soar.

[ldiablo]

Tomorrow's news: fishing gear ban which shocked most legal fishing trawlers rescinded while a 6 month commitee is set up to determine the meaning of the word legal.

Edited August 8, 2015 by ldiablo

[casualbiker]

Firstly are these nets actually banned under international fishing rules, if yes. Ok.

If not then, WHY?

[Bluespunk]

"Meanwhile more than 200 push net fishermen at Wat Sri Suntharam also held a meeting to discuss the governments ban and find a solution to the problem so that they can continue to fishing."

I have a solution. Use legal nets.

[casualbiker]

"Meanwhile more than 200 push net fishermen at Wat Sri Suntharam also held a meeting to discuss the governments ban and find a solution to the problem so that they can continue to fishing."

I have a solution. Use legal nets.

Are those nets actually illegal within the international fishing community?

The guy in the OP said they weren't!

[Chang_paarp]

"Meanwhile more than 200 push net fishermen at Wat Sri Suntharam also held a meeting to discuss the governments ban and find a solution to the problem so that they can continue to fishing."

I have a solution. Use legal nets.

Are those nets actually illegal within the international fishing community?

The guy in the OP said they weren't!

The nets used by the Thai boats do no comply with any regulation, Thai or international. They should have spent the time when they were in dock making new legal nets rather than moaning about the government enforcing long standing regulations.

[kaiyaibob]

"They said the new order was not clearly defined and difficult to understand"

Are they ever clearly defined and easy to understand ??

Edited August 8, 2015 by kaiyaibob

[falangjim]

A new regulation tossed up at the last minute causing people who work in Thailand grief. Never heard of such a thing.

[casualbiker]

"Meanwhile more than 200 push net fishermen at Wat Sri Suntharam also held a meeting to discuss the governments ban and find a solution to the problem so that they can continue to fishing."

I have a solution. Use legal nets.

Are those nets actually illegal within the international fishing community?

The guy in the OP said they weren't!

The nets used by the Thai boats do no comply with any regulation, Thai or international. They should have spent the time when they were in dock making new legal nets rather than moaning about the government enforcing long standing regulations.

This quote would imply that they do

" their vessels have been legally registered and complies with international fishing standards."

I THOUGHT all the legally registered boats complied. That was the point of registering in the first place wasn't it?

[Bluespunk]

"Meanwhile more than 200 push net fishermen at Wat Sri Suntharam also held a meeting to discuss the governments ban and find a solution to the problem so that they can continue to fishing."

I have a solution. Use legal nets.

Are those nets actually illegal within the international fishing community?

The guy in the OP said they weren't!

Which guy?

[casualbiker]

"Meanwhile more than 200 push net fishermen at Wat Sri Suntharam also held a meeting to discuss the governments ban and find a solution to the problem so that they can continue to fishing."

I have a solution. Use legal nets.

Are those nets actually illegal within the international fishing community?

The guy in the OP said they weren't!

Which guy?

Quote from OP in post 15

[jpinx]

So what they are saying is that the boats registered have illegal gear on board? What was the point of registering if it does not cover all the gear...?

[Bluespunk]

"Meanwhile more than 200 push net fishermen at Wat Sri Suntharam also held a meeting to discuss the governments ban and find a solution to the problem so that they can continue to fishing."

I have a solution. Use legal nets.

Are those nets actually illegal within the international fishing community?

The guy in the OP said they weren't!

Which guy?

Quote from OP in post 15

Ok I'll read the OP again, but I did not see anyone saying the nets were legal in previous readings.

Edit: I see mention of legally registered boats that use push nets but nothing saying the nets themselves are legal.

However as I also see nothing saying they aren't I shall amend my solution

Use nets that have not been banned {and are possibly illegal under international/Thai law as I see no reason for the ban if they aren't}.

Edited August 8, 2015 by Bluespunk

[jpinx]

 

"Meanwhile more than 200 push net fishermen at Wat Sri Suntharam also held a meeting to discuss the governments ban and find a solution to the problem so that they can continue to fishing."

I have a solution. Use legal nets.

Are those nets actually illegal within the international fishing community?

The guy in the OP said they weren't!

Which guy?

Quote from OP in post 15

Ok I'll read the OP again, but I did not see anyone saying the nets were legal in previous readings.

Edit: I see mention of legally registered boats that use push nets but nothing saying the nets themselves are legal.

However as I also see nothing saying they aren't I shall amend my solution

Use nets that have not been banned {and are possibly illegal under international/Thai law as I see no reason for the ban if they aren't}.

 

------------------

I see lots of references to push nets or scoop nets in google, but nothing that says they are illegal. What is the EU/USA insisting on and why? Clear as mud....

Edit to add reference from OP ..

"the problem of illegal, unreported and unregistered fishing in light of European Unions putting pressure on Thailand to address the problem of illegal fishing and the use of slave labour in fishing industry."

So banning certain types of gear will fix the slave labour problem? What am I missing here,,,,,,?

Edited August 8, 2015 by jpinx

[casualbiker]

I think the problem is that these regulations have been in play for a long time but have been ignored. From reading around almost all fishing authorities regulate fish net size, some depending on species fished and others as a blanket minimum size... 5 cm seems extremely small if you look at an example: Jersey fishing net size.

[casualbiker]

Jersey net sizes

South Carolina states 3inch minimum.. So just under 8cm

http://www.dnr.sc.gov/regs/saltwaterregs.html

Edited August 8, 2015 by casualbiker

[Thai at Heart]

For once, I have to applaud Prayuth. He has basically had enough of all this nonsense and said, screw you all, here are the rules, sort it out.

[jpinx]

 

I think the problem is that these regulations have been in play for a long time but have been ignored. From reading around almost all fishing authorities regulate fish net size, some depending on species fished and others as a blanket minimum size... 5 cm seems extremely small if you look at an example: Jersey fishing net size.

 

------------------

This isn't Jersey -- this is Thailand. This is just a knee-jerk reaction to the EU/USA pressure ... nothing to do with fish-stocks.

[dageurreotype]

A new regulation tossed up at the last minute causing people who work in Thailand grief. Never heard of such a thing.

Yes BUT this one isn't new and was petitioned against last month, so this isn't news, it's simply the fishermen thought they'd never go through with it as per. hopefully no U turns on this one.

In other news, article 44 is invoked to clear Phuket of ALL taxi mafia and a new public transport system is implemented

[casualbiker]

 

I think the problem is that these regulations have been in play for a long time but have been ignored. From reading around almost all fishing authorities regulate fish net size, some depending on species fished and others as a blanket minimum size... 5 cm seems extremely small if you look at an example: Jersey fishing net size.

 

------------------

This isn't Jersey -- this is Thailand. This is just a knee-jerk reaction to the EU/USA pressure ... nothing to do with fish-stocks.

Dohhh really this is Thailand!!! Bugger me I never noticed!

The chart is to give an idea of how other countries help safeguard their fish stocks!

The OP would have been more complete if it had given the new (existing) minimum net sizes.

A fish small enough to get through a 5 cm net is not very big.. Does anyone know the types of fish caught by Thai commercial fishing boats?

[chrisinth]

 

I think the problem is that these regulations have been in play for a long time but have been ignored. From reading around almost all fishing authorities regulate fish net size, some depending on species fished and others as a blanket minimum size... 5 cm seems extremely small if you look at an example: Jersey fishing net size.

 

------------------

This isn't Jersey -- this is Thailand. This is just a knee-jerk reaction to the EU/USA pressure ... nothing to do with fish-stocks.

True.

Another thing you need to look at is what the fishermen's target species is.

Catching an anchovy with a 5cm mesh size, good luck with that..............

As you have stated, a very bad knee jerk, presumably by persons who have no idea what they are banning/restricting.

Seems to be a pattern here of forget the workers/owners, even if they hold valid licences, and lets just appease. Taking in the apparent alcohol bans trying to be implemented.

[casualbiker]

 

I think the problem is that these regulations have been in play for a long time but have been ignored. From reading around almost all fishing authorities regulate fish net size, some depending on species fished and others as a blanket minimum size... 5 cm seems extremely small if you look at an example: Jersey fishing net size.

 

------------------

This isn't Jersey -- this is Thailand. This is just a knee-jerk reaction to the EU/USA pressure ... nothing to do with fish-stocks.

True.

Another thing you need to look at is what the fishermen's target species is.

Catching an anchovy with a 5cm mesh size, good luck with that..............

As you have stated, a very bad knee jerk, presumably by persons who have no idea what they are banning/restricting.

Seems to be a pattern here of forget the workers/owners, even if they hold valid licences, and lets just appease. Taking in the apparent alcohol bans trying to be implemented.

It all depends off course what the actual Thai regulations are for net size.. If there are any.

I wouldn't be surprised if they have had regulations for years but not enforced by ALL previous governments!

[Blitzkrieg Bob]

The fishy business now got even fishier... I have no sympathies whatsoever for the slave trading, marine environment destroying fishing boat owners. It's good that they finally have to face the music.

[sprq]

If this ban is strictly enforced it will reduce the amount of fish caught. Great for the preservation of fish stocks but it will mean fish prices will likely soar.

Good. Fish will then be more properly priced. It should be a luxury only affordable by the few until global fish stocks recover -- and then they should be fished sustainably. A pipe dream perhaps, but the only sane way forward.

[impulse]

The sad fact is that the party is over. There are not enough fish stocks for all the boats that want to fish them. The only question is whether they will allow the fish stocks to recover, or deplete them to the point that they never will. In fact, it may already be too late. And that's not just Thailand.

In the bigger picture, seafood is the only kind of food that is still wild caught. Imagine if we had to feed 7 billion people on wild cattle, wild boar, free range chickens and weeds.

Eventually, the world will snap to the fact that aquaculture is the only way we can keep the world in seafood, wild caught fish will demand a premium price like truffles do today, and governments around the world will have a tax bonanza selling quotas of the fish in their exclusive economic zones. Sad, but that's the only way forward in the long term...

My suspicion in this case is that the junta is simply enforcing long standing regulations that were sloughed off by the past 20 governments or so. It's a lot easier to garner sympathy for "new regulations" than for "finally enforcing the rules".

If that is the case, I salute them. But at the same time, I hope they take into consideration how the displaced workers will support their families. And that's a tough one...for any government.