EU lifts “yellow card” on Thai fishing industry
The European Commission on January 8 removed Thailand from the group of “warned countries,” known as “yellow card,” for its action and progress in tackling illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, effectively lifting a trade ban warning, according to an official EU press release.
The Commission acknowledged that Thailand has successfully addressed the shortcomings in its fisheries legal and administrative systems, therefore, it lifts the so-called “yellow card”, in place since April 2015 which was a warning that Thailand at the time was not sufficiently tackling the problems.
The decision reverses the first step of a process that could have led to a complete import ban of marine fisheries products into the EU.
According to the press release, since the yellow card was issued, the Commission and Thailand have “engaged in a constructive process of cooperation and dialogue.” This has resulted in a major upgrade of the Thai fisheries governance in accordance with the international commitments of the country.
The measures Thailand adopted ranged from new rules to vessel monitoring systems, as well as a satellite-based system of tracking the movements of fishing boats, enforced by the Royal Thai Navy.
It also toughened labour regulations to combat human trafficking and ill-treatment of migrant workers, improving the situation of more than 300,000 citizens of neighbouring countries employed in the Thai fishing industry.
The European Commission now sees Thailand as “a new committed partner” in the fight against fishing practices that deplete global fish stocks and harm people who make their living from the sea, it added.
Thai seafood exports stood at $2.1 billion in 2017, data from the commerce ministry show, recovering to their 2014 level after a drop in 2015 to $1.8 billion following the European Union warning. About 9.9 per cent of Thai seafood exports went to the European Union last year, versus 10.3 per cent in 2014, according to the ministry data.
[caption id="attachment_32391" align="alignleft" width="300"] Thai fishing boat off Samut Sakhon port © Arno Maierbrugger[/caption] The European Commission on January 8 removed Thailand from the group of "warned countries,” known as “yellow card,” for its action and progress in tackling illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, effectively lifting a trade ban warning, according to an official EU press release. The Commission acknowledged that Thailand has successfully addressed the shortcomings in its fisheries legal and administrative systems, therefore, it lifts the so-called "yellow card", in place since April 2015 which was a warning that Thailand at the time was not sufficiently tackling the...
The European Commission on January 8 removed Thailand from the group of “warned countries,” known as “yellow card,” for its action and progress in tackling illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, effectively lifting a trade ban warning, according to an official EU press release.
The Commission acknowledged that Thailand has successfully addressed the shortcomings in its fisheries legal and administrative systems, therefore, it lifts the so-called “yellow card”, in place since April 2015 which was a warning that Thailand at the time was not sufficiently tackling the problems.
The decision reverses the first step of a process that could have led to a complete import ban of marine fisheries products into the EU.
According to the press release, since the yellow card was issued, the Commission and Thailand have “engaged in a constructive process of cooperation and dialogue.” This has resulted in a major upgrade of the Thai fisheries governance in accordance with the international commitments of the country.
The measures Thailand adopted ranged from new rules to vessel monitoring systems, as well as a satellite-based system of tracking the movements of fishing boats, enforced by the Royal Thai Navy.
It also toughened labour regulations to combat human trafficking and ill-treatment of migrant workers, improving the situation of more than 300,000 citizens of neighbouring countries employed in the Thai fishing industry.
The European Commission now sees Thailand as “a new committed partner” in the fight against fishing practices that deplete global fish stocks and harm people who make their living from the sea, it added.
Thai seafood exports stood at $2.1 billion in 2017, data from the commerce ministry show, recovering to their 2014 level after a drop in 2015 to $1.8 billion following the European Union warning. About 9.9 per cent of Thai seafood exports went to the European Union last year, versus 10.3 per cent in 2014, according to the ministry data.
