The Senate voted to ban the use of all types of purse seine nets with meshes smaller than 2.5cm for night fishing, prompting the Lower House's fisheries bill to be sent back to MPs for reconsideration.
The Upper House discussed the amendment bill for the Royal Ordinance on Fisheries 2015 on Tuesday after the bill had passed the Senate committee's consideration.
The bill had a total of 71 sections, and the Senate considered every section. One issue which was widely discussed and voted on was the use of purse seine nets under Section 28 of the bill, which would amend Section 69 of the original 2015 law.
The Senate voted against the amendment in the draft passed by the House of Representatives and then resolved to support the ban on the use of all types of purse seine nets with mesh sizes smaller than 2.5cm for fishing at night.
A total of 128 senators voted in favour of the ban, while eight voted against and three abstained.
Sen Thewarit Maneechai said allowing the use of fine-meshed nets to catch aquatic animals outside the 12 nautical mile zone at night would negatively affect the aquatic animal population.
Tawat Suraban, chair of the Senate's sub-committee studying the bill, said using light to lure anchovies with the destructive net at night could result in the collection of younger marine animals.
"We would ask the people's representatives to weigh the facts and the country's best interests," he said.
However, before the session ended, the Senate voted to pass the entire bill with 141 votes in favour, three against, and four abstentions.
Since the Senate disagreed with Section 28, the bill will be sent back to the House for reconsideration. If the House agrees with the Senate, the bill will move forward without changes to Section 28.
However, if it does not, a joint committee of both houses must be set up for further consideration, Mr Tawat said.
The result made by the co-committee will be finalised by the Lower House members.
