Anti-IUU bid on right track

In its efforts to combat illegal, unregulated and unreported (IUU) fishing, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha’s government has taken a number of measures. The latest is the suspension of boat registrations, which took effect earlier this week when it was announced in the Royal Gazette. This step is aimed at preventing unregistered trawlers from being used in illegal fishing. Its implementation is in compliance with amendments to Section 54/4 of the Thai Vessels Act after the Marine Department revoked ownership of an unspecified number of Thai registered fishing vessels with over 10 gross tonnes.

Of these, several are said to have no owners while others are supposedly damaged or sunk, but there is no credible evidence or documents to prove this.

There are concerns that these vessels could be used for illegal fishing through fake boat registrations. According to the Transport Ministry, the latest measure will also include a survey conducted by the Marine Department to ascertain the exact number of vessels weighing more than 10 gross tonnes nationwide.

The new measure will enable the state to intensify antiIUU efforts which began in 2015 after the European Union (EU) placed Thailand under the yellow-flag category. The EU faulted the country for “shortcomings in its fisheries monitoring, control and sanctioning systems”. If the EU were to issue a red flag, Thailand’s seafood exports, accounting for billions of baht in value, would be banned by EU members.

The strict measures implemented by the Prayut Chan-ocha government from 2015 at times have put it at odds with the fishing industry and several protests have been threatened. But it cannot afford to compromise.

Among the measures are the establishment of a Port-InPort-Out monitoring centres in 22 coastal provinces, as part of a mechanism against human trafficking in the fisheries industry. The Prayut government also made the right decision in signing the UN Food and Agriculture-sponsored Port State Measures Agreement, the international treaty aimed at combating IUU, with improvements in the effectiveness of an existing traceability system and the monitoring, patrol and surveillance systems. Thailand is the first country in Asia to be party to the treaty.

In April of this year, the Prayut government also approved the roadmap for the development of Thailand’s anti-IUU measures, under the goal of an “IUU-free Thailand”. According to the Royal Thai Police, the three-year operation, which started in May of 2015, has already brought forth more than 4,200 cases of alleged illegal fishing activity in Thai waters. Of these, more than 3,670 cases, or 86%, have been successfully closed.

While these efforts were rewarded recently as Thailand received an upgrade to the Tier 2 ranking in the US Trafficking in Persons report, it’s unfortunate that the EU, while showing its satisfaction over efforts to reduce IUU fishing, has maintained its yellow flag on the country. The EU, which sent a delegation to Thailand in of April this year to review the country’s performance, gave Thailand another four months to achieve “visible progress” in the vexed issue. In short, it means “good but not good enough”.

There is no choice for the government but close all the loopholes that enable fishing operators to work around the law in order to entirely wipe out IUU. The government must strengthen its efforts through inter-agency cooperation — and toughen law enforcement.

The ultimate goal is not just to free Thailand from the yellow-flag label, but to achieve sustainability in fishing.

In a government report released earlier this year, Adisorn Promthep, head of the Fisheries Department, mentioned “good signs after the implementation of “anti-IUU” measures for local fishery industry”.

“The fishermen are saying they are finding more fish in the water and that they are larger, while different species that they haven’t seen in several years are starting to come back.”

This is the right path. All the measures are to ensure sustainable fishing which means food for the current and future generations.