NLA begins crackdown on fisheries

The National Legislative Assembly (NLA) has voted unanimously in favour of a new executive decree on fisheries which has been drafted to improve the efficiency of measures against illegal fishing practices.

The lawmakers voted 200-0 to approve the cabinet-proposed decree with four abstentions, which will later be turned into an act.

Speaking at the NLA meeting yesterday, Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Chatchai Sarikulya said the new legislation needs to be rolled out since the 2015 executive decree on fisheries contained some elements which do not correspond to conditions in both low-scale and commercial fisheries.

As part of the new act, punishments against violators of the law will be improved, including heavier fines to be imposed for criminal offences, in a bid to deter legal violations threatening fish stocks and to comply with the international agreements the country has signed, he said.

NLA member Poj Aramwattananont said at the assembly meeting that there should be comprehensive oversight of the fishery industry.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives and the Department of Fisheries are paying more attention to regulating fishing trawlers and ports rather than on how fishery products are domestically used or exported, he said.

“There are a lot of opportunistic traders today, particularly foreigners who began the trade and export of [fishery] products without being authorised, and this is a problem,” Mr Poj said.

Thailand has been yellow-carded by the European Union, which has been pressing the country to deal with unregulated fishing or face an import ban.

Gen Chatchai said he paid little attention to yellow or red cards, but is focusing on how the country’s fishing industry could be made sustainable, which also reflects EU principles.