The National Fishery Policy Committee yesterday resolved to put a limit on the number of marine animals that can be caught in an attempt to solve the problem of overfishing in Thai waters.
Overfishing is among several problems concerning illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing pointed out by the European Union which warned that Thailand would be red-carded without specific steps to clean up the industry.
The committee, chaired by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, yesterday resolved that fish catches in the Gulf of Thailand be limited to 230,803 tonnes a year and 110,156 tonnes for the Andaman sea.
Fishing of marine benthos in the Gulf of Thailand is to be restricted to 715,294 tonnes and to 216,467 tonnes in the Andaman Sea.
Fishing of anchovies is to be limited to 172,607 tonnes in the Gulf of Thailand and 29,650 tonnes in the Andaman Sea.
Authorities were ordered to limit fishing licences taking into account these limits, while these changes will take effect April 1.
According to the Department of Fisheries, fish catches in the Gulf of Thailand are 248,000 tonnes per year comprising about 31% overfishing, a marine benthos catch amounting to 882,000 tonnes, or 36% overfishing, and an anchovies catch of 209,000 tonnes, with little overfishing.
In the Andaman Sea, fish catches in Thai waters are roughly 123,000 tonnes, or 15% overfishing, fishing of marine benthos is 229,000 tonnes, or about 4% overfishing and fishing of anchovies is 37,000 tonnes, a level where there is no overfishing.
In addition, the committee will look for possible legal complications should the government agree with local fishermen to revoke a new fishing law that limits their fishing areas.
The law, known as Section 34 of a new executive decree on fishing, is hotly opposed by small-scale fishery operators, who say it will endanger their livelihoods.
The law allows "inshore fisheries" by small-scale fishermen restricting their fishing areas to only three nautical miles (5.5 kilometers) from the shoreline.
Many fishermen complained the law benefits commercial fishing vessels as they can go beyond the three nautical mile zone.