Deputy Prime Minister Chatchai Sarikulya is optimistic that Thailand will be removed from the IUU (illegal, unreported, unregulated) fishery watchlist after the scheduled arrival in Thailand in late September or early October of a delegation from the European Union to assess Thailand’s performance in addressing IUU problem.
General Chatchai said that Thailand has made progress in several areas related to the IUU problem more than those demanded by the EU.
He said he would submit to the Cabinet for consideration as quick as possible the plan to use 3 billion baht budget to buy 680 fishing boats from their owners in a bid to reduce the excessive number of fishing vessels in the country.
According to the guidelines already worked out, the vessels will be bought at half of the median prices worked out in 2015. 409 small and medium-sized fishing vessels will be bought at a total cost of 690 million baht and the rest will be 271 large-sized boats.
