BANGKOK, Jan 18 (TNA) – The Director General of the Department of Fisheries expects rising seafood exports and abundant marine resources as the European Union delisted Thailand from its yellow card fishing watch list.
The yellow card was removed because the Thai government had seriously tackled illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing for three years. Besides, it was determined to promote sustainable fishing and rehabilitate marine resources for local consumption and exports, said Adisorn Promthep, Director-General of the department.
“Supervision will continue to prevent excessive fishing with illegal tools… There will be positive effects on the national economy. Coastal fishermen will increase their catches and the fishing industry will raise exports due to confidence from other countries,” he said.
The director-general also said that other countries would allow more Thai fishing boats to operate in their waters. He cited Papua New Guinea and Myanmar already contacted Thailand for the increase.
Besides, the Department of Fisheries was relaxing its regulations to be friendlier with fishermen. It introduced an electronic system for fishing operators to report the trips of their boats instead of having to do it with lots of documents. The department also extended the periods of their fishing trips, he said.
The department also set up a fund to help fishing operators affected by its fishing control measures, Mr Adisorn said. (TNA)
