Thailand reviews efforts to make fishing industry sustainable

Prawit was speaking on Monday at a meeting of the National Fisheries Policy Committee to review efforts to curb illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

The meeting focused on illegal fishing in Thailand’s largest inland fishery, Songkhla Lake, as well as efforts to preserve marine species at risk of extinction.

Only 14 Irrawaddy dolphins were found in the latest survey of Songkhla Lake, where overfishing has also severely depleted other marine species.

On Monday, agencies were ordered to follow the Marine Mammal Protection Act and action plans for conservation, especially reducing plastic waste in fisheries.

Thailand has made progress in curbing marine plastic trash, dropping from sixth to 10th on this year’s UN list of the world’s largest ocean polluters.

Monday’s meeting heard that Thailand’s three-pronged preservation strategy was to restore the ecosystem and biodiversity, integrate fishery resources and sustainably manage those resources.

Thailand announced this month it would no longer issue licences for bottom-trawling – the destructive practice of dragging heavy nets along the sea floor.

The country has also cracked down on human trafficking and other abuses that led the European Union to threaten a ban on Thai seafood imports.

However, Prawit ordered the Department of Fisheries and related agencies to cooperate with international organisations and the public sector in protecting labours and other fishing industry stakeholders.