Poll shows most community leaders support illegal fishing crackdown

Master Poll by the Thai Researchers in Community Happiness Association (TRICHA) conducted the survey on 1,079 community leaders from July 3-5 to get their opinions on the yellow card and anxiety about a shortage of seafood due to most trawler owners suspending operations because they don’t comply with new regulations aimed at getting the yellow card lifted.
The regulations came into force last Wednesday.
Chet Ratchadaphannathikul, the president of TRICHA, revealed that 91.2 per cent of the respondents saw the crackdown as a benefit as it would lead to the removal of yellow card, restore the country’s image, improve the environment and reduce human trafficking.
Another 8.8 per cent viewed the move as a drawback because it caused seafood prices to rise and fishermen to lose money, which could lead to conflict.
While the vast majority believed the crackdown would end positively, 61 per cent were still worried about this matter, while 38.9 per cent believed it would have a short-term effect and the situation would return to normal soon.
More than half, or 59.1 per cent, of the community leaders were confident that the EU would lift the yellow card within the six-month deadline due to the effectiveness of the government in dealing with the problem, but 12.1 per cent had a lack of confidence as they believed the matter was too complicated to be solved in such a short period.
Two-thirds of respondents, or 74.7 per cent, did not want the measures on illegal trawlers eased.
Just over half the respondents regarded the suspension of illegal trawlers as good for the government’s image but 40.2 per cent disagreed with that sentiment.
The European Commission handed Thailand the yellow card in April, giving the government six months to implement a corrective tailor-made action plan.
Should the situation not improve, the EU could resort to banning fishery imports from Thailand.