The Fisheries Department is expected to modify the Animal Epidemic Act to apply similar measures to control the prolonged early mortality syndrome (EMS) outbreak at shrimp farms, says an expert.
Putth Songsangjinda, director of the Marine Shrimp Culture Research and Development Institute, said the Fisheries Department is planning to modify the act to control the EMS disease, which has spread since 2012.
"The Fisheries Department has been in talks to adapt and apply the act to better control the outbreak. However, we need to work on more details and see if we can push it through," said Mr Putth.
He said the revised law would authorise government officers to take more serious actions in dealing with shrimp farm operations to ensure they use suitable techniques to combat EMS.
The department now has a network of volunteers to monitor affected areas, examine sea shrimp diseases and address better hatchery and nursing management including raising baby shrimp.
The National Science and Technology Development Agency yesterday revealed its cooperation with Taiwanese researchers from National Cheng Kung University to use technology to examine bacteria. The technique is said to to reduce the spread of EMS and the risks of the bacteria.
In 2009, EMS first hit a shrimp farm in China and moved to Vietnam before spreading to Thailand in mid-2012.
The outbreak has severely affected the Thai shrimp industry and exports of related products. Before the outbreak hit Asian shrimp farms, Thailand produced 500,000 to 600,000 tonnes a year of shrimp but the figure dropped 42% to 270,000 last year.
Shrimp exports fell 34% to 187,000 tonnes or 60 billion baht last year.
Earlier, Thai Union Frozen Products Plc, the world’s largest seafood company, estimated that local shrimp supply would reach nearly 300,000 tonnes this year as EMS eased in the second half.
The Fisheries Department believes shrimp production will rebound to 400,000 tonnes this year, up 37% from last year’s level. The Thai Shrimp Association estimates exports this year could reach 80,000 tonnes, generating revenue of 76 billion baht.