ID :
373085
Wed, 07/01/2015 - 12:10
Auther :

Thai authorities determined to arrest illegal fishing boats

BANGKOK, July 1 (TNA) - The Thai government's Command Center for Combating Illegal Fishing (CCCIF) is strictly tackling illegal fishing boats based on a new rule, which takes effect on July 1, 2015, vowing to arrest unlicensed fishing boats and not to take any lenient approach. CCCIF PR Director Vice Admiral Jumpol Lumpiganon told journalists on Wednesday that the July 1 deadline for legal fishing nationwide is necessary to seriously solve Thai fishing problems. Vice Admiral Jumpol admitted that the strict measure affects many people, but local fishing operators had the past two months as a grace period for them to change their boats to meet international standards. Regarding the stoppage of many fishing boats, the CCCIF PR director pointed out that more than 10,000 small fishing boats remain operating; so, seafood should be continually available. According to the CCCIF PR director, although there are 15 requirements for legal fishing boats, authorized inspectors focus only on 12 requirements and give recommendations to those failing to follow three others, including radio use licences, radio communication certificates and safety gear. Meanwhile, Thai Commerce Minister General Chatchai Sarikulya assessed that the stoppage of fishing boats should reduce seafood supplies and their prices should consequently rise. The commerce minister stressed that his ministry's Department of Internal Trade will keep their prices reasonable, but it will not intervene in market mechanisms, while the Department of International Trade Promotion will, later this week, discuss solutions with seafood exporters affected by lower seafood supplies currently. (TNA)

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