Fisheries department deploys onboard observers on fishing vessel



SAMUT SAKHON, 6 July 2016 (NNT) – The Department of Fisheries has dispatched its first two onboard observers to monitor transfer and fishing vessels during 5 July - 30 September 2016, says MOAC official.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives (MOAC) Permanent-Secretary Teerapat Prayurasiddhi spoke about the ministry's decision to deploy two onboard observers on fishing vessels, saying that this action is in accordance with the requirements to all vessels permitted to fish outside of Thai waters, which states that there must be an observer onboard to upgrade the nation's fishery practices to meet international standards.

He said onboard observers have been trained with the Fisheries Observer Onboard Program, and are required to possess relevant knowledge on science, fisheries, ships, marine navigation, and law.

Onboard observers will be responsible in observation and recording key information such as the volume of catches and the fishing tools used, to determine the catch per unit's effort value. Assessing the values would eventually lead to better management in fisheries to enhance the industry's sustainability.

Fishing boat owners can make requests to the Department of Fisheries for the allocation of onboard observers. Seven requests have already been made by fishing boat owners to station onboard observers on their vessels.

-- NNT 2016-07-06

Let the bribing begin.

Hope you are paying them well, the temptation will be too great. Sadly, the bribes will take place and the Junta know it, but it's all about creating the impression and satisfying the critics.

Two onboard observers?

Per boat?

Thailand has an estimated fishing fleet of 42,000 fishing boats.

Edited July 6, 201610 yr by BigBadGeordie

Them decks can be slippery...

What a dilemma for the observer's, if they ask for too much of a bribe they may fall overboard. Too little and they will lose face with the other observers who get fatter envelopes.

The government should sort a recommended bribes list based on vessel size or catch.

Edited July 7, 201610 yr by Sakeopete

I know it makes many of you feel so superior when denigrating the entire Thai nation as a bunch of incompetent corrupt bribe takers but I am certain it is not all of them and it needs to be accepted that unless proven it is not the case.

Sadly, my sentiment will not be widespread from what I read here.

Two onboard observers?

Per boat?

Thailand has an estimated fishing fleet of 42,000 fishing boats.

Now, here's a task for the countries' officials in inactive posts. Should keep about a quarter of them busy for a while.

Sakeopete could be close to the money! After all, the fishing industry is quite dangerous, and people do (accidentally) fall overboard.

having spent time on Thai fishing boats and knowing another TVF poster who worked on Thai squidding boats from a few years, i very much doubt they will spend more than a few hours at sea before demanding to be put back ashore, especially if it starts to rock. They are far from Gin palaces, and pretty grim places to live and work, even for the captains.

It surely cannot be a full time plan to have observers on all boats, and i presume most bad practices will stop until the observer has vacated.