Fisheries Reform Towards Sustainable Fisheries

 

On IUU fishing and Thailand

What are the concrete achievements that led the Commission to lift the yellow card of Thailand?

 

The decision to lift the IUU yellow card of Thailand follows the constructive cooperation of Thai authorities with the Commission resulting in a comprehensive and structural reform of their fisheries legal and policy systems in order to curb illegal fishing. Measures taken include:

 

     - Comprehensive review of the fisheries legal framework in line with the International Law of the Sea, including a deterrent sanctions schemes.

 

     - Full reform of the management of the fleet policy, with sound systems of registration and control of the fishing vessels.

 

     - Strengthening of the Monitoring, Control and Surveillance tools, including the full coverage with Vessels Monitoring System (VMS) of the industrial fleet and a robust system of inspections at the port.

 

     - Full implementation of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Port States Measures agreement on foreign-flagged vessels that land their catches in Thai ports to supply the processing industry.

 

     - Comprehensive traceability system covering the whole supply chain and all modes of transportation, in line with international standards.

 

     - Improved administrative procedures as well as training and political support, leading to proper enforcement of legislation.

 

     - Significant reinforcement of the financial and human resources for the fight against IUU fishing.

 

What is the EU doing to address human trafficking and forced labour in the Thai fisheries sector?

 

The EU IUU Regulation does not specifically address working conditions on-board fishing vessels, neither human trafficking. Nonetheless, improvements in the fisheries control and enforcement system on IUU fishing may have a positive impact on the control of labour conditions in the fisheries sector.

 

Different European Commission services, as well as the European External Action Service, are working together to tackle the issue of human trafficking and forced labour and share best practices with the Thai authorities. As a result, Thailand was the first country in Asia that ratified the ILO Forced labour Protocol in June 2018.

 

Courtesy from Thailand Department of Fisheries (DOF)

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