The Seminar on Thailand's Sustainability for Sustainable Fisheries, Brussels, Belgium
On 7 May 2019, the Royal Embassy, Brussels together with the Department of Fisheries, Thailand held the Seminar on Thailand’s Sustainability for Sustainable Fisheries at the Brussels Expo and Convention Center, Brussels, Belgium where Mr. Manasavu Sridodapol, Ambassador of Thailand to Belgium and Luxembourg delivered the opening speech and extended his warm welcome to the attendees. During the Seminar, Dr. Adisorn Promthep was a moderator together with the honored speakers from authorities concerned. The Seminar was held for the purpose of disseminating Thailand’s approach towards sustainable fisheries through the Fisheries Improvement Project and the promotion of responsible fisheries for the sustainability of fisher folk and fisheries industry. Besides, the Seminar also aimed to enhance confidence for exporters, and international media outlets that fisheries products of Thailand derived from the sustainable eco – friendly fishing and production attaching importance to working conditions in fisheries industry meeting with International Labour Organization standards. ------------------------ written by Fisheries Foreign Affairs Division, DOF
Thailand Hosted the ASEAN Meeting on Combating IUU Fishing in Partnership with the EU
The Department of Fisheries, Thailand, together with the EU co-organized the “ASEAN Meeting on Combating IUU Fishing in Partnership with the EU” during 4 – 5 April 2019 at Plaza Athenee Hotel Bangkok, where almost 70 representatives from the ASEAN Member States, international fisheries organizations and representatives from the EU participated in. As the ASEAN Chair of 2019, Thailand announced the theme “Advancing Partnership for Sustainability” to focus actions on the future, on connectivity and sustainability in all dimensions. In his opening remarks, H.E. Mr. Luck Wachananawat, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives said that Thailand has proposed a concept proposal on ASEAN Cooperation on Sustainable Fisheries, consisting of two priorities: firstly, the formulation of ASEAN General Fisheries Policy, which is undergoing a feasibility study; and secondly, the establishment of an ASEAN IUU Task Force to support effective exchange of information, to create a network for better communication between the law enforcement authorities and governmental competent authorities taking responsibilities for combating IUU fishing. He added that this proposal is not only intended to benefit current generations but also future generations. The Task Force will contribute to the exchange of information and data among flag states, coastal states, and RFMOs. The information and data exchanged will mainly be laws and regulations and enforcement of domestic and international laws involved, Port State Measures and management measures. The Task Force will monitor, assess situations including addressing crucial issues, enhancing capacity and laying down plans for effective implementation in the future. Moreover, the Task Force will develop tools, systems, and technologies for investigation, and analyze data collected to provide evidence of IUU fishing. The implementation of the Task Force will improve competency and potential in controlling, monitoring and surveillance of IUU fishing operation for the competent agencies of the AMS and for the strengthening of combating IUU fishing in the region. Dr. Adisorn Promthep, Director General of the Department of Fisheries, as the leader of the Thai representatives, hoped that the Meeting will provide a better understanding of the urgent need to establish an ASEAN IUU Task Force. The developments on this matter will be submitted to the ASEAN Sectoral Working Group on Fisheries for consideration at its meeting on 27-29 June 2019 in Viet Nam. ASEAN has the potential to be a region free of IUU fishing. written by ASEAN-Thailand Secretariat
Delegation of Thailand visits Malaysia for an understanding of the establishment of the ASEAN Task Force for IUU.
The Thai delegation led by Dr. Chumnarn Pongsri, Advisor to the Department of Fisheries, Thailand visited Malaysia to discuss with Dato Dr. Bah Pyan Tan, Deputy Director of Fisheries Malaysia and concerned authorities for a better understanding and support on the establishment of ASEAN IUU Task Force. Thailand and E-READI will co-host the ASEAN Meeting on Combating IUU Fishing in partnership with the EU during 4 – 5 April 2019 at Plaza Athenee Bangkok Hotel. (written by Fisheries Foreign Affairs Division, DOF)
Thailand Upgrades Partnership with the EU in Combating IUU Fishing
On 3 – 4 April 2019, Mr. João Aguiar Machado, Director-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries of the European Commission (DG MARE) paid courtesy calls on H.E. General Prawit Wongsuwan and H.E. General Chatchai Sarikulaya, Deputy Prime Ministers, during his visit to Thailand to attend the ASEAN Meeting on Combating IUU Fishing in Partnership with the EU hosted by Thailand in Bangkok from 4 – 5 April 2019. Mr. Machado commended Thailand’s commitment to combating IUU fishing, as apparent in the effective preventive and deterrent mechanisms Thailand has developed throughout the years and in fulfilling her obligations as a flag state, coastal state, and market state. Moreover, Mr. Machado congratulated Thailand on the ratification of the International Labor Organisation (ILO) Work in Fishing Convention No. 188. 2007 (C188), which demonstrated Thailand’s willingness to improve working conditions of workers in the fisheries sector. In this regard, he emphasised the desire of the European Union (EU) to partner with Thailand in fighting against IUU fishing and to provide support to Thailand to further develop the IUU Free-Thailand policy and the catch certificate scheme, as well as to upgrade the current cooperation to the regional level. In light of Thailand’s ASEAN chairmanship this year, Mr. Machado also commended Thailand for underlining the importance of cooperation in the fight against IUU fishing in ASEAN through the convening of the ASEAN Meeting on Combating IUU Fishing in Partnership with the EU. The Thai side thanked the EU for its continuous support of Thailand over the past 4 years, which led to the subsequent lifting of the yellow card on 8 January 2019. The Thai side emphasised that Thailand will continue to work closely with the EU to improve the efficiency of the existing mechanisms as well as to strictly enforce the laws. Additionally, Thailand reassured the EU that the change of government will not affect Thailand’s policy on combating IUU fishing, since the government has put in place a good system as well as developing a new generation of personnel in charge who are capable of utilising advanced technology, together with an allocated budget to ensure continuity in anti-IUU policy. Furthermore, as the ASEAN chair this year, Thailand wishes to upgrade the existing cooperation in the fight against IUU fishing to the regional level and will push for this issue to be a top agenda for ASEAN. Additionally, Thailand hosted the ASEAN Meeting on Combating IUU Fishing in Partnership with the EU from 4 – 5 April 2019 with a view to building a platform for member states to (1) share information on best practices for combating IUU fishing and also to allow member states to learn from experts from the EU and international agencies experienced in monitoring, control, and surveillance, and (2) discuss the possibility of creating an operational network between relevant ASEAN enforcement agencies and national authorities to enhance their capacity and capabilities in fighting against IUU fishing. written by Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kingdom of Thailand
EU Announced the Lifting of a Yellow Card for Thailand
On 8 January 2019, the EU formally announced the lifting of a yellow card for Thailand in recognition of the substantive progress Thailand has made in tackling illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing since 2015. The yellow card issued by the EU prompted Thailand to overhaul its entire fishing industry to meet international standards. Representing the Thai government, General Chatchai Sarikulaya, Deputy Prime Minister, travelled to Brussels to take part in the joint press conference with H.E. Mr. Karmenu Vella, European Commissioner for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, at the EU Headquarters in Brussels. During the press conference, he emphasised the successful cooperation between Thailand and the EU in combatting IUU fishing, which encompasses legal reform, fishery management, fleet management, monitor, control and surveillance, traceability and law enforcement. These measures led to the EU’s acknowledgement that Thailand possesses one of the most effective systems for combatting IUU fishing in the region, which can serve as a model for other states facing similar problems. The Deputy Prime Minister stated that, in its capacity as ASEAN Chair this year, Thailand will give priority to promoting sustainability in all dimensions, including sustainable fishing, which will be one of the deliverables during Thailand’s ASEAN Chairmanship. He also proposed enhancing the existing cooperation with the EU on all dimensions of marine sustainability, particularly the conservation of marine resources and marine environment. This in turn will help the region attain Goal 14 of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, which is to conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources. Moreover, the Deputy Prime Minister has underscored the importance that Thailand attaches not only to sustainable fishing, but also to ethical fisheries practices. Thailand has pledged to ensure that the working conditions in its domestic fishing industry meet the International Labour Organization (ILO) standards and the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. Thailand will also take lead by becoming the first country in Asia to ratify the ILO Work in Fishing Convention, 2007 (C188) by the end of January 2019. On the same occasion, the EU Commissioner of Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries of the European Commission praised the hard and honest work undertaken by Thailand which has enabled Thailand to carry out its international obligations to comprehensively fight IUU fishing. He also commended the success of Thailand in tackling IUU fishing in all dimensions and the accomplishment of the Thai government to address the labour issue in the fisheries sector. These efforts have resulted in the comprehensive reform and an overhaul of the entire fisheries sector of Thailand. Today’s announcement epitomised the successful cooperation between the EU and Thailand which would not cease after the lifting of the yellow card. Indeed, the EU and Thailand will continue the fight against IUU fishing both at the regional level as well as to promote ocean governance at the global level accordingly. Prior to the joint press conference, the Deputy Prime Minister attended a bilateral meeting with Commissioner Vella to exchange views on possible future cooperation on promoting sustainable fishing and marine sustainability. At a reception for European importers of Thai seafood products on 9 January 2019, the Deputy Prime Minister, in his statement, will reassure the importers that Thai seafood products and marine animals are IUU free. Thailand will provide reassurances of its being a flag state capable of managing its vessels both inside and outside Thai waters, a coastal state that can allocate resources effectively, a port state that can prevent illegal vessels from landing their catches inside its territory, and a market state that has no aquatic animals derived from IUU fishing in its entire production and processing lines for exportation. written by Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Thailand : http://www.mfa.go.th/main/en/news3/6885/98154-EU-Announced-the-Lifting-of-a-Yellow-Card-for-Thai.html
Thailand’s rapid fisheries reform results in a Green Card from the EU
Thailand has rigorously overhauled and improved its fisheries management and control systems since the Task Force was established and it has now been rewarded with a ‘green card’ from the EU for fisheries exports under the EU regulation to end illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. The EU regulation aims to end IUU fishing by requiring countries which export seafood to the EU to meet certain standards for fisheries control and management. Thailand was issued with a formal warning (yellow card) in 2015 and had it not acted to reform its fisheries management and controls, it could have been banned from exporting to the EU entirely (red card). Since the yellow carding, Thailand has taken significant steps to improve its fisheries management and exert greater controls on its own vessels as well as foreign vessels landing in Thai ports. These reforms include passing laws which empower greater control, enforcement and surveillance of fishing vessels, as well as higher penalties and sanctions for non-compliance. This decision does not mean that there is no illegal fishing in Thailand and it is up to industry and the government to continue working together, showing that these reforms are sustainable over the long term. The Royal Thai Government has achieved this especially through working with the private sector, including significant collaboration with the Seafood Task Force and our Vessel Behaviour Monitoring Working Group. A major achievement has been Thailand’s stringent implementation of the Port State Measures Agreement (PSMA), with required risk assessment of all foreign vessels delivering fish to Thailand. As one of the largest processing countries in the world, this is critically important and Thailand has gone above and beyond the requirements for this agreement, with an inspection and traceability regime that makes it a global leader. Thailand has also focused heavily on establishing the rule of law for its own vessels, such as by reducing the number of licensed vessels, enacting closed areas where fishing is prohibited, and requiring all larger vessels to be properly monitored. These improvements came through both growing human capacity as well as through innovative use of technologies such as machine learning for risk assessments. As one of the largest seafood processors and exporters in the world, Thailand’s robust fisheries reform has the opportunity to make a global impact on the sustainability of marine resources. Through continued focus on improvement, Thailand will be a leader in fisheries by showing the power of political will, partnerships, and technology. ------------------------------ written by seafoodtaskforce