No EU decision yet on Thailand's IUU Fishing

BANGKOK, June 10 (TNA) - Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister General Chatchai Sarikulya insists that the European Union (EU) has not yet announced its new decision on Thailand this year regarding the Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU)Fishing. Denying earlier reports that EU has already made its decision on Thailand regarding IUU Fishing issues, General Chatchai told journalists in Bangkok on June 9 that EU has only sent its letter to acknowledge the Thai government's actions presented by Thai officials in mid-May in order to meet EU standards on fishing. Late this month, General Chatchai said, EU officials are scheduled to visit Thailand to follow up the Kingdom's progress in the installation of a vessel monitory system (VMS) and a traceability system, the enforcement of relevant laws and the operations of port in-port out centers recording the traffic of fishing boats. General Chatchai stressed that Thailand has continued solving IUU Fishing issues in line with its fishing executive decree passed last year and has already issued all relevant laws for effectiveness. The minister affirmed that he has not yet received any note from EU on whether the 28-member trade bloc has extended an evaluation period for Thailand, or issued a longer yellow card or a new red card on the Thai fishing industry, after issuing a warning yellow card to Thailand in April 2015, and that EU did not put any pressure on Thailand. (TNA)