A Thai fishing trawler. (Photo: Stock File)

Fishermen perform demonstrations and complaints over IUU new regulations

THAILAND
Tuesday, April 10, 2018, 22:50 (GMT + 9)

More than a thousand fishing boats returned to port and went on strike against the government's stringent measures against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

Trawler owners from southern provinces sailed their vessels to Pattani Pier in order to put pressure on the government, arguing the new legislation is impractical, the Bangkok Post reported.

Moreover, some 30 operators from Phuket’s commercial fishing fleet also staged a protest against this legislation carrying placards that read, “We don’t want EU” and “Stop EU threatening Thailand and Thai fishing industry”.

The fishing operators point out that that the regulations require every fisherman on board to wear a life jacket and employers to copy their payroll slips to be sent to Port In, Port Out (PIPO) centres, a process which operators claim is a burden.

In Phuket, the protesters listed 17 regulations that they say need reviewing, including the requirement of VMS tracking devices and the restricting fishing of each vessel to 255 days per year. Besides, they expressed opposition to the need to report two hours before and after every time a fishing boat enters and leaves port.

Complaints also targeted the fact that the regulations force employers to be able to prove by documents the wages paid to crewmen, including migrant workers, and hold the employer responsible for the safekeeping of all official registration documents of migrant workers in their employment.

The two key issues were introduced in the crackdown on human slavery within the Thai fishing industry exposed in 2015 that led to the EU sanctions on fishing product imports from Thailand into Europe. Given this final warning by the EU, the Thai government announced an "IUU-free Thailand" directive with a committee to be formed to formulate an effective, environmental and labour rights friendly policy.

Pattani Fisheries Association head Phubest Chantanimi said the government must take care of fishermen troubled by stringent laws.

"The operators have agreed to stop working indefinitely until the problem is properly addressed," the leader highlighted, adding that representatives of fishery operators would hold a meeting with government officials at Government House.

Meanwhile, deputy prime minister Gen Prawit Wongsuwon expressed no worries that the protest is being ramped up at a time when EU delegates are carrying out their survey of Thailand's fishing industry, and said the fishermen had already been invited for talks with relevant agencies.

The EU team surveying how the government has tackled the problem of IUU has praised the government's efforts.

Speaking after a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister at the Defence Ministry, Stefaan Depypere, the EU's director for international ocean governance and sustainable fisheries, said Thailand has made a lot of progress on the problem and provided a model for other countries to follow.

Depypere also urged the government to follow through various policies it has rolled out, insisting that if everyone complies with the regulations, it would be beneficial for the industry and fishermen's long-term livelihoods.

Related articles:

 - EU audit speeds up fishing sector's thorough checks
- Nationwide protest expressed against EU fishing regulations
- Thailand to make bigger effort against IUU fishing, according to the EU

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