BANGKOK, April 4 (TNA) – Thailand spearheads in a bid to
establish ASEAN IUU Task Force to collectively combat illegal, unreported and
unregulated (IUU) fishing in the region.
On Thursday and Friday, Thailand, the current ASEAN chair,
is hosting The ASEAN Meeting on Combating IUU Fishing in Partnership with the
EU. Over 70 participants representing
ASEAN countries, the European Union and international fishery organizations
have attended the forum to reaffirm their commitment in the fight against IUU.
The two-day event organized by Thailand’s Department of
Fisheries and Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, also provides a
platform for discussion and exchange on sustainable fisheries.
Agriculture and Cooperatives Deputy Minister Lak
Wajananawatch told reporters that the main objective of the forum was to
advance the proposal to establish ASEAN IUU Task Force to be the ASEAN’s core
cooperative mechanism in combating IUU.
The Task Force would bring together ASEAN countries to share
information, coordinate law enforcement and draw up measures for sustainable
fishing in the region, he said.
Lak said he hoped that the forum would lead to closer
cooperation among the ASEAN member states to eradicate IUU fishing as Thailand
assuming the ASEAN chairmanship under the theme “Advancing Partnership for
Sustainability.”
The Fisheries Department’s Director-General Adisorn Promthep
said that he expected the Meeting to finalize a proposal on establishing the ASEAN
IUU Task Force to be forwarded to ASEAN Sectoral Working Group on Fisheries
(ASWGFi).(TNA)
