Thousands of illegal fishing boats remained moored in ports on Wednesday as strict regulations against unregistered vessels and fishing equipment came into force, to head off an international ban on Thai seafood products.
The boats remained tied up at scores of coastal piers because they either had no licence or were equipped with illegal fishing gear. If they went to sea they would face big fines, starting at 100,000 baht.
About 800 fishing boats were moored in Hat Lek sub-district of Khlong Yai district in Trat province -- at Chalachai, Ban Khlong Makham and Kalapangha ports. Seafood traders could not buy fish, and workers were idle. They hung around in groups talking, playing sports and cleaning floors.
Amornsak Worawijitpong, president of a fishing association in Khlong Yai, said business was in a crisis because the fishing boats could not go to sea.
"Do not say that we are protesting. We are not. But our boats cannot go out fishing because most of them violate the IUU [illegal, unreported, unregulated] fishing rules. If they went out, they would be arrested and face fines of 100,000 baht," he said.
"If the skippers were found to be illegal, they would face fines of 1 million baht. How can they afford these fines?"
He said operators had already laid off some workers, as 40-50 million baht disappeared daily from business in Khlong Yai.
If the situation continues for a week, almost all business in Khlong Yai district would be seriously harmed, because they all rely on fishing, including shops and services, Mr Amornsak said.
In Songkhla province, over 1,000 fishing boats were tied up and local piers were silent.
Praphorn Ek-uru, president of the fishing association in Songkhla, said the boats, the piers and the ice factories were without work because 90% of fishing boats in the southern province had unlicensed fishing equipment.
About 300 fishing boats were moored for the same reason in Rayong province on Wednesday.
However, most fishing boats in Narathiwat province in the far South continued to operate. Santhana Chanthorn, marine chief of Narathiwat, said only 67 boats there were not licensed. The other 680 were.
In neighbouring Pattani province, 381 fishing boats were legally registered, but 72 others remained tied up because they had illegal fishing gear.
Legal fishing boats continued to operate in Narathiwat province on Wednesday, as thousands of unregistered boats remained in ports elsewhere. (Photo by Waedao Harai)
Seafood prices either remained unchanged or increased slightly on Wednesday, with supplies still bolstered by existing inventories.
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said again on Wednesday the strict regulation of fishing was necessary. If the European Union banned Thai fish products because of failure to comply with its IUU rules, the whole 200-billion-baht fishing industry would be hit and fishing boats would have to stop working anyway.
"It is better to have no fish products today than to have none at all in the future.
"What can we do if we do not pass evaluation in the future? The business is valued at over 200 billion baht. What could be done if it disappears completely? Everyone must help. Operators must cooperate too," the prime minister said.
"If there is heavy pressure for a delay (of implementation) and we fail to pass the (EU) evaluation, will they also share the responsibility?
"Today legal fishing boats can still operate," Gen Prayut said
The crackdown on illegal fishing boats followed the EU's "yellow card", or final warning, issued to Thailand on April 21 for illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing practices. The country was given six months to solve the problems, or face a ban on fish exports to EU countries.
Gen Prayut said the government was looking at measures to assist affected fishing crews.
Banjong Nasae, president of the Thai Sea Watch Association, said there were about 16,000 illegal fishing boats with illegal fishing equipment in the country. and they had destroyed coastal marine resources and put many small fishermen out of business.
Strict controls on illegal fishing would allow marine resources to recover and save Thai seafood exports in the long run, he said.
