The Agriculture Ministry has proposed four measures to prevent illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, says Agriculture Minister Pitipong Phuengboon Na Ayudhaya.
Speaking after a panel meeting on human trafficking and illegal fishing, chaired by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, Mr Pitipong said the first measure is registration, in which fishing operators have to register their boats and obtain fishing licences.
"As far as we know, around 3,000 fishing boats are unregistered due to the substandard condition of the boats. The government will ask owners to fix the boats,'' Mr Pitipong said, adding the government could provide financial assistance for repairs.
The second measure relates to the vessel monitoring system. About 100 fishing boats will be installed with GPS tracking devices, allowing authorities to track their location at sea.
Mr Pitipong admitted many boat operators lack the funds for installing the devices since the cost of installing them is more than 10,000 baht per boat.
"The government may find loans for those fishing operators who lack the money. Joint army and navy checkpoints will also be set up both along the Andaman Sea and Gulf of Thailand to help monitor the boats," he said.
The minister said the third measure is intensifying boat inspections at checkpoints by enacting strict regulations requiring licence verification and ensuring operators have the proper equipment for fishing.
Mr Pitipong said the last measure covers the legal process, in which the ministry plans to revise the law on boats entering and departing territorial waters.
A memorandum of understanding on fishing cooperation signed with countries such as Indonesia and Papua New Guinea will also be revised.
The fisheries measures are part of the government's plan to tackle human trafficking.