Thailand alleged to be reinstating detrimental fishing practices by critics
In the heart of western Thailand, fisherman Jirasak "Boot" Meerit from Prachuap Khiri Khan province, joined by dozens of other activists and fishers, protested outside parliament in Bangkok against proposed changes to the country's fisheries law. Meerit, who started fishing as a teenager and owns a boat to catch blue crab and mackerel, believes that the new act could turn the clock back, bringing the country back to the bad old days of overexploitation of marine animals.
The proposed amendments, currently being debated by politicians, have raised concerns among environmental groups and activists. One of the most contentious issues is the modification to Article 69, which would permit night fishing at more than 12 nautical miles from the shore, using nets with a mesh finer than 2.5 centimetres. The Federation of Thai Fisher Folk Association claims this could cost Thailand more than 200 billion baht (US$6 billion) per year in species lost to fine-mesh nets.
Activists argue that the use of fine nets at night could inadvertently catch juveniles of many species, potentially damaging the food chain. Night operations are seen as a step in the wrong direction and could damage ecosystems upon which other fisheries rely.
Another concern lies in the practice of transhipment, a process that allows vessels to transfer catches at sea. The Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF) claims that this practice could be incredibly opaque and potentially allow for illegal catch. Changes to rules on transferring catches between boats at sea are "the biggest red flag", according to Thomson, an environmental activist.
Thailand's fisheries sector has a long history of overexploitation, dating back to the introduction of trawlers in the early 1960s. However, in 2015, the country passed a landmark fisheries ordinance to regulate an industry rife with labour abuse and illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) catch. Since the implementation of the 2015 fisheries ordinance, fish populations in areas including the Andaman Sea have begun to rebound.
However, the EJF identified 15 concerning amendments in the proposed changes, 15 of which have since been amended. Remaining problems, according to the EJF, include labor rights and tariffs on low-value catch, also known as "trash fish".
Viriyaroj, a spokesperson for the Thai government, insists that Thailand's IUU measures are up to international standards and concerns about transhipment are largely unfounded. Vessels wishing to tranship would have to register and comply with regulations, according to Viriyaroj. Despite these assurances, concerns remain about the potential for illegal activities to slip through the cracks.
As the debate over the proposed amendments continues, activists and fishers say they do not expect to be able to halt the bill altogether, but pushing for changes is seen as crucial. The fate of Thailand's fisheries and the marine animals they support hangs in the balance.
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