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Thailand welcomes EU decision to lift warning on illegal fishing

Thailand welcomed a decision by the European Commission (EC) on January 9 to drop the Southeast Asian nation from a list of countries it had warned over illegal and unregulated fishing.
Thailand welcomes EU decision to lift warning on illegal fishing ảnh 1Illustrative image (Source: undercurrentnews.com)

Hanoi (VNA) – Thailand welcomed adecision by the European Commission (EC) on January 9 to drop the SoutheastAsian nation from a list of countries it had warned over illegal andunregulated fishing.

“Since the yellow card was issued, theCommission and Thailand have engaged in a constructive process of cooperationand dialogue,” the EC said in a statement on January 8 announcing its decision.

This has resulted in a major upgrade of the Thaifisheries governance, in accordance with the international commitments of thecountry.

The EC now sees Thailand as “a new committedpartner” in the fight against fishing practices that deplete global fish stocksand harm the global community of those who make their living from the sea, itadded. 

In 2015, Thailand received a “yellow card”warning from the EC over unsustainable fishing practices, which carries thethreat of a European ban on the exports. Themove prompted a major crackdown by Thailand’s Government on illegal fishing andan overhaul of the industry.

“There have been sacrifices and adjustments madeto the way fishing was conducted,” said deputy spokesman of the Thai GovernmentWerchon Sukhondhapatipak.

Thailand’s fishing industry has a responsibilityat all levels to the environment and the world through more sustainable fishingpractices in line with international standards, he added.

The measures Thailand adopted ranged from newrules to vessel monitoring systems, as well as a satellite-based systemtracking the movements of fishing boats, enforced by the Royal Thai Navy.

The country also toughened labour regulations tocombat human trafficking and the ill-treatment of migrant workers, improvingthe situation of more than 300,000 citizens of neighbouring countries employedin the Thai fishing industry.

Thai seafood exports stood at 2.1 billion USD in2017, according to data from the Thai Ministry of Commerce, finally recoveringto their 2014 level after a drop in 2015 to 1.8 billion USD following the ECwarning.

About 9.9 percent of Thai seafood exports wentto the EU last year, versus 10.3 percent in 2014.

Thailand’s private sector also welcomed the ECdecision, saying the reforms will greatly benefit the fishing industry. –VNA

VNA
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