The Command Centre for Combating Illegal Fishing on Thursday proposed offering jobs on trawlers to recently discharged sailors as a way to prevent Thailand’s seafood exports from being banned in the European Union.
The resolution was one of several adopted at a meeting today by the task force formed after the EU this spring slapped Thailand with a "red card" warning over its violation of illegal, unregistered and unreported fishing standards.
The EU has given Thailand until October to resolve problems outlined by the commission or face a potential ban of its seafood in Europe.
The meeting chaired by outgoing navy commander Adm Kraisorn Chansuwanich at navy headquarters included representatives from the Immigration Police Bureau, Royal Fisheries Department, and seven ministries.
In an effort to raise the standard of personnel working in the fishing industry, the centre Proposed providing occupational training for newly discharged Royal Thai Navy conscripts by offering them jobs on fishing boats for a monthly salary of 15,000 baht.
The navy currently runs quarters vocational education programmes, offering training to become general engineers, motorbike mechanics, electricians, air-conditioning technicians, forklift drivers and more.
Currently, the overwhelming majority of fishermen working on Thai trawlers are Cambodian or Myanmar migrant workers, as well as less-educated, poor Thais. Employing trained military sailors as one way to raise industry standards to bring them in line with the EU's IUU requirements.
In other business, the centre on Thursday also resolved to have the legal affairs working group preparing the "National Plan of Action to Prevent, Deter and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing" forward the final document to the cabinet by Oct 13, as well as consider combining boat registrations and fishing permits into a single book.
The centre's public-relations department will publish minutes of the meeting in English later for distribution to international agencies.