Authorities in Thailand have developed a roadmap of concrete action to eliminate illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing in Thai and international waters. The measures will apply to Thai and foreign-flagged fishing boats in Thai waters and to Thai-flagged vessels in international waters. The roadmap falls under a new legislative framework for fisheries management that will enter into force in June of this year. The measures are designed to address IUU concerns and rebuild confidence in Thailand’s fisheries industry.
IUU fishing is one of the most crucial global threats to the sustainable management of marine fisheries worldwide. It has significant environmental, economic and social implications and jeopardizes the biological integrity of the ocean.
The European Union’s (EU) report last year on fishing activities in Thailand referred to a number of fishing practices which were still not in line with regulations. The Thai Government has taken those allegations seriously. Efforts to tackle illegal fishing and improve the sustainable management of Thailand’s marine and aquaculture environment are a top political priority and are taken by officials at the highest levels of government.
John Saulnier, editorial director of Frozenfoodsbiz.com, met with Dr. Waraporn Prompoj, the Bangkok-based deputy director of Thailand’s Department of Fisheries, and Dr. Adisorn Promthep, director of Thailand’s Office of Agriculture Affairs in Washington, DC, during Seafood Exposition North America to discuss progress that has been made in dealing with the IUU problem. They explained the framework for fighting illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing as follows.
The Roadmap on Combating IUU Fishing was approved on January 7, 2015, by the government’s Steering Committee on Human Trafficking and IUU Fishing under the chairmanship of the Thai Prime Minister. It intensifies cooperation among relevant national authorities to eliminate IUU fishing activities.
John Saulnier (center) of Frozenfoodsbiz.com meets with Dr. Waraporn Prompoj (right), deputy director of Thailand’s Department of Fisheries headquartered in Bangkok, and Dr. Adisorn Promthep, director of Thailand’s Office of Agriculture Affairs in Washington, DC. Thailand’s roadmap to combat IUU fishing was the topic of discussion.
The Roadmap includes the six following principle activity areas to address IUU fishing in which the Thai Government undertakes and makes every effort to complete all activities by September of 2015.
Fishing Vessel Registration and Licensing
Registration and licensing will apply to all Thai-flagged fishing vessels and gear in order to tackle illegal fishing and to protect the world’s valuable seafood and ecological resources. The implementation has been carried out by 112 mobile registration units across 22 coastal provinces by the Department of Fisheries in cooperation with the Marine Department and the Provincial Administration Department. In parallel to the registration and licensing, ports and landing sites survey and mapping have been carried out to develop plans to control IUU fishing at port locations across Thailand.
New Fisheries Act and Subordinate Legislation
The revised Thai Fisheries Act was adopted by the National Legislation Committee of the Thai Parliament on January 9, 2015, and will enter into force 60 days after publication in the Thai Royal Gazette at the end of March. It improves official oversight of Thai fisheries to better reflect current industrial realities. It also establishes a fisheries management scheme and improves Port State Measures. At the same time, the Department of Fisheries has prepared in advance, subordinate legislation to be issued immediately after the new Fisheries Act’s entry into force in June of 2015. Among these subordinate legislations, 10 are related to combating IUU fishing, namely: installation of Vessel Monitoring Systems (VMS); Port in-Port out control; Logbook submission to report catch; registration of all Thai-flagged fishing vessels, carrier vessels and fishing gear; and regulatory measures for Thai-flagged fishing vessels operated in foreign and international waters in compliance with the Regional Fisheries Management Organizations’ (RFMOs) regulations.
National Plan of Action to Eliminate IUU Fishing
The Department of Fisheries has developed the National Plan of Action (NPOA-IUU) in line with the International Plan of Action to Prevent, Deter and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing (IPOA-IUU), international measures on fisheries conservation and management as guided by the RFMO’s implementation measures. The NFOA involves main responsibilities of Thailand as Flag State, Coastal State, Port State and Market State. It includes numerous activities focusing on Port State Measures, Port in-Port out control, Monitoring, Control and Surveillance (MCS), Bessel Monitoring Systems (VMS), vessel registration and licensing, RFMO’s regulations, traceability and catch certification scheme, as well as sanctions against serious infringements. To enhance collaboration in IUU Fishing according to the NPOA, the Thai Government will also cooperate with all international actors, including the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, to effectively implement the NPOA.
Vessel Monitorial System ((VMS)
Mandatory installation of the VMS system will take place for large-scale fishing vessels of above 60 gross tonnage, starting in April of 2015. Furthermore, under the new Fisheries Act, Thai-flagged fishing vessels of 30-60 gross tonnage (GT) will also have to install VMS, after the revised Fisheries Act will enter into force as they also have risk in IUU fishing and human trafficking on board.
A VMS Control Center will be wet up in March of 2015 to coordinate activities, and 60 surveillance patrol boasts will support the system. To position Thai fishing vessels, the procurement of satellite system input for improving the existing GSM system is in progress. This will enable the Center to receive a wide range and real-time signals. After that, once the additional budget proposed has been approved, another 15 VMS operation sub-centers and an electronic logbook system will be established.
In advance of the timeframe for mandatory VMS installation, 59 Thai fishing vessels have already installed VMS and reported their positions on a voluntary basis as of March 2015. Among these 59 vessels, nine are operating in the high seas, while the other 50 are fishing in Thai waters. In addition, 36 out of 50 vessels operating in PNG waters are under the VMS installation process.
Monitoring, Control and Surveillance (MCS)
The Thai Government will establish 18 MCS centers to coordinate monitoring and surveillance of vessels at sea. The MCS Center will take responsibility for coordinating and integrating with other concerned authorities. Twenty-six Port in-Port out centers will function starting from June 2015 onwards, when the new Fisheries Act enters into force, by joint efforts among five government agencies (the Department of Fisheries, Marine Department, Ministry of Labor, Marine Police Division and the Royal Thai Navy). However, four Port in-Port out centers in Phuket, Chumporn, Songkhla and Ranong Provinces will be launched as pilot projects between March and May of 2015. The responsibilities of the 26 Port in-Port out centers will be as follows:
- Inspection and control of fishing vessels of 30 gross tonnage and over, fishing gear, licenses and logbook
- Inspection of the fishing worker registration, work permit and work contract
- Inspection of fishing vessel safety
- Inspection of worker immigration on overseas fishing vessels
- Fisheries patrol and inspection will be a joint responsibility of the Royal Thai Navy, the Marine Police Division, the Department of Fisheries and the Marine Department. The collective center for this purpose will be called the National Maritime Enforcement Coordinating Center.
Furthermore, the Guidance on the Operation of Port in-Port out Center was development as a tool for relevant government agencies to effectively implement the integrated system.
Improvement of Traceability Systems
To improve the domestic traceability system, the Department of Fisheries (DoF) has strengthened the fish inspection process at landing sites and the use of raw materials in processing plants by arranging necessary training courses for officials concerned. The DoF is also stringent on traceability systems through the whole supply chain – from fishing vessels, fish collectors or agents, processing plants to exporters. Moreover, the DoF is providing knowledge on Fishing Logbook and Marine Catch Purchasing Document (MCPD) for concerned officials, entrepreneurs and vessels’ masters.
In case of imported catch, the Thai Government will put in place systems to improve inspection and information exchange with third countries on monitoring data of fishing vessels. During the period that the new Fisheries Act is not yet being enforced, the Thai Government will coordinate with 27 main exporting countries to accelerate the issuance of Catch Certificates. After the new Fisheries Act is in force, the Thai Government will implement the Port State Measures to foreign vessels for stringent inspection at port as well as strengthen cross checking and verification of data recorded in Catch Certificates as well as in imported documents, especially the weight data of imported fish. Furthermore, Thailand will also seek arrangements with third countries to facilitate inspections of Thai-flagged fishing vessels operating in those foreign countries’ waters.
