Fishery industry faces acute labour shortage

[webfact]

DOE to discuss fisheries labor shortage with Myanmar

 

 

BANGKOK, 20 June 2017 (NNT) – Members of the fisheries industry have lamented a labor shortage of up to 74,000 people with as many as 4,000 ships docked due to a lack of workers, saying discussions are to be held with Myanmar to attract immigrant laborers. 

Vice President of the Thai Fisheries Association Sarawut Towasakul has made known fishers across the nation are suffering under a shortage of laborers with figures from a survey taken on June 12 indicating a shortfall of up to 74,000 people and up to 30 percent of boats, or 4,000 fishing vessels, having to remain docked because of the lack of workers. 

He noted however that the Department of Employment under the Ministry of Labor has scheduled a discussion with the Myanmar government this June 29 to July 1 to seek the legal immigration of laborers. The state has set minimum wage for fisheries laborers at between 10 and 12,000 baht or 350 baht per day as well as required medical expenses and housing be covered. 

The fisheries association has pointed out that if the labor shortage continues, seafood products over the next 3-4 months could rise by 50 percent.

 

-- nnt 2017-06-20

 

[fruitman]

Well maybe it's time to introduce Thailand 4.0 to the fishermen.

 

A European fishingvessel with a crew of 10  can catch the same amount as 500 Thai...And they also can freeze the fish within minutes after being caught and gutted.

Catching fish on larger ships saves a lot of fuel.

 

 

[SABloke]

I wonder if they are lamenting a shortage of workers or a shortage of slaves?

[darksidedog]

They have entirely themselves to blame. They have used people like slaves and now their illegal labour has gone, they are facing the reality that you have to actually pay your workers, and pay them a decent wage too. And 4,000 less boats out there is good news for fish stocks too.

[starky]

Probably as much lamenting as was done on the plantations after the civil war.

[GaryB1263]

California farmers are going through the same situation. It's much more difficult to hire illegal aliens now so the horrible specter of rising asparagus prices has reared it's ugly head.

 

 

[mikebell]

Press gangs worked for the British.

[trogers]

Time for headhunting in Africa...

[quadperfect]

There is no shortage of boats off phukets over fished,and poluted waters thats for sure.

Mostly 2 trawlers working together raping the seas,pulling a kilometer of net between them. 500 boats like this from phuket to langkawi .every day.

350 bht for a 24 hour day 7 days a week. Duh. Who in there right mind would work a job like this.

The picture above was probobly taken during songkran the only day fewer boats were fishing.

[HiSoLowSoNoSo]

Maybe they can re-educate all the street food sellers in Bangkok who lost their jobs and soon to come all the bar girls in Pattaya Go-Go bars and Gentleman clubs to work on these modern slave ships?

[mok199]

prison inmates would love a day out ...''ever been to sea Billy''...

[Nowisee]

1 hour ago, SABloke said:

I wonder if they are lamenting a shortage of workers or a shortage of slaves?

they simply ran out of slaves.

 

the seas around here are polluted, over fished almost dead anyway.  

 

 

[Lupatria]

2 hours ago, trogers said:

Time for headhunting in Africa...

Next headline we read is: Thai economy is booming- slave trade sector up 50%

[Epidemiologist Dave]

5 hours ago, fruitman said:

Well maybe it's time to introduce Thailand 4.0 to the fishermen.

 

A European fishingvessel with a crew of 10  can catch the same amount as 500 Thai...And they also can freeze the fish within minutes after being caught and gutted.

Catching fish on larger ships saves a lot of fuel.

 

 

Yes and that's why the worlds stock of fish is so depleted.

[Bob12345]

I see this as very good news as it seems like the actions against slave labour finally have some effect.

Good for all the people working in this sector who are no longer slaves and the ones who will get paid more.

[coulson]

Good news for the Ocean while they try figure it out.

[FredNL]

Need more slaves!!!
Send more slaves !!!

[fruitman]

2 hours ago, DavetheGreek said:

Yes and that's why the worlds stock of fish is so depleted.

That's bs mate.

 

Here our fishermen have to follow rules and the government inspects the fishstocks and daily catch all days long. 

 

Those big fishingvessels go worldwide though, also to countries where the rules are less strict enforced.

 

But what's the difference if a load of fish is caught by 500 small ships or just 1 big vessel?? It's the same amount of fish but the big vessel used a lot less fuel to catch it and probably also threw less plastic in the water.

 

The big vessel can freeze the fish within minutes after being caught, the small boats have all kind of tricks to cool/keep it fresh but that's still not frozen. 

 

When i buy seafish in Thailand i always wonder how many days before it was caught. I buy fish from the Kaoshiung Maru though which is a japanese fishingvessel that delivers to Tops. I trust the japanese the most for fish quality

[Chris Lawrence]

How much does the job pay and what are the work conditions like?

[djayz]

8 hours ago, fruitman said:

Well maybe it's time to introduce Thailand 4.0 to the fishermen.

 

A European fishingvessel with a crew of 10  can catch the same amount as 500 Thai...And they also can freeze the fish within minutes after being caught and gutted.

Catching fish on larger ships saves a lot of fuel.

 

 

A valid point, but on the European vessel only 10 people earn a living (and 490 sit at home waiting for the dole); on the Thai vessel, 500 earn a living and nobody sits at home waiting for a handout...

What exactly is your point?