THURSDAY, March 28, 2024
nationthailand

Fishery observers see no red card from EU

Fishery observers see no red card from EU

FISHERY stakeholders hold high hopes that the European Union will not hand their industry a “red card” next month, thanks to the country’s serious efforts to tackle human trafficking and illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing during the past ye

If the EU gives the red card to Thailand, it should come up with a concrete explanation for its case, Poj Aramwattananont, vice chairman of the Board of Trade of Thailand and chairman of the Thai Fishery Producers Coalition, said yesterday.
In the latest attempt to complete the traceable supply chain for fisheries, the Fish Marketing Organisation, Fisheries Department, Agriculture Ministry, Command Centre for Combating Illegal Fishing and BOT, together with the Thai Fishery Producers Coalition, yesterday signed a letter of cooperation in setting up a marine-catch purchasing procedure to control the trading of aquatic products and improve the sanitation of fish and fishery products.
The procedure will produce a document to be used as a tool for accurate tracing of the sources of aquatic animals according to the Fisheries Act. 
Poj said Thailand should be upgraded by the EU.
“It might be strange if the country gets the red card. Thailand has tried to solve problems based on laws and technical problems, which should be freed from political issues,” he said.
“Thailand has tried hard to improve our fishing procedures from upstream to downstream, while it has a traceability system to serve laws and technical problems and international fishing standards. 
“If the EU really gives Thailand a red card, it needs to clarify the reason in a document to us [the Thai government and private sector] and to the public. Thailand will need to fight back if it is unreasonable,” he said.
A red card would affect Thailand’s image. However, for the trading of fishery products, it may or may not have an effect, as the EU could not ban or force buyers to stop ordering goods from Thailand, he said.
“No matter how Thailand will be rated during the EU’s revision next month, its private companies and the government will continue to tackle illegal fishing and systemise our fishing system along the supply chain so that it could be traceable from catch to table.”
Last year, Thai fishery exports to the EU decreased because of the loss of tax privileges under the Generalised System of Preferences, while the yellow card has not had an impact on trading, only on the country’s image, he said. 
For this year, because of the uncertain global economy, Thai fishery exports are expected to be flat, while exports of shrimp and tuna should increase.
Shrimp exports are expected to rise from Bt58 billion last year to Bt70 billion this year and tuna exports from Bt80 billion to Bt90 billion.
The cooperation to set up the electronic Marine Catch Purchasing Document (E-MCPD) and improve sanitation is a good move as it will promote traceability, Poj said. 
All the private operators in this industry are also committed to supporting government policy to fix the problem of IUU fishing and human trafficking and to follow Thai and international law, international standards and codes of ethics for the good image of Thai products. 
This makes Thailand’s seafood industry sustainable, he said.
The eight fishery-product-related associations that agreed to the MCPD system are the Thai Frozen Food Association, Thai Food Processors’ Association, Thai Shrimp Association, Thai Tuna Industry Association, National Fishery Association of Thailand, Thai Overseas Fishery Association, Thai Fishmeal Association |and Thai Fishmeal Producer Association.
 
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