EU raises 'red card' spectre over illegal fishing in Thailand: 'Must do more'

Following up on EU Reporter's previous coverage, as of the last week in July, the European Commission's Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (DG MARE) has said that it is at present working with Thailand's authorities to help the country stamp out illegal fishing practices and associated slave labour, but has warned the country that much more needs to be done ahead of the next evaluation in October for Thailand to avoid an EU 'red card', which will mean that no Thai seafood products will be allowed to be exported to the EU.

Recently, the country's Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwan has said that he received a letter from the European Union "saying our actions were still not correct both in terms of administration and legislation".

Thailand, which is the world's third-largest seafood exporter, was given six months by the EU as of 21 April 2015 to address issues such as ensuring all fishing vessels are registered, have registered equipment and are fitted with a Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) - Prawit added that 3,000 fishing boats nationwide were still unregistered.

Thailand's annual exports to the EU are estimated to be worth between €575 million to €730m. Overall fish exports were worth around $3 billion in 2014, according to the Thai Frozen Food Association.

And, following the imposition of the Commission's yellow card in April 2015, present Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Commissioner Karmenu Vella stated: “Our EU rigorous policy on a harmful practice such as illegal fishing, together with our genuine capacity to act, is paying off. I urge Thailand to join the European Union in the fight for sustainable fisheries. Failure to take strong action against illegal fishing will carry consequences.”

Commenting on the imposition of the yellow card, Green fisheries spokesperson Linnéa Engström said:  "The EU's listing system for non-compliant states failing to take steps to combat illegal fishing is an important tool in the global fight for sustainable fisheries. With concerns about Thailand's approach to illegal fishing, it is welcome that the Commission has issued it a yellow card. If it continues to fail to act, the Commission must then follow-up with further measures foreseen under the IUU rules: blacklisting, with trade sanctions on fisheries products and other measures."

The EU has shown previously that it will impose a complete ban if necessary - following four years of intense dialogue with Sri Lanka, the European Commission nevertheless imposed a red card ban on fisheries imports from the country in 2014; Sri Lanka, according to the Commission, "could not demonstrate that it sufficiently addressed illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing".

Speaking in late 2014, former maritime affairs and fisheries commissioner Maria Damanaki said: "Our policy of resolute co-operation is yielding results. Five countries [have received] our appreciation for getting serious on illegal fishing. Unfortunately, I cannot say the same for Sri Lanka. I hope that the message we are sending...will be a wake-up call for this country."

Sri Lanka's main weaknesses were cited as shortcomings in the implementation of control measures, a lack of deterrent sanctions for the high seas fleet and lacking compliance with international and regional fisheries rules.

At the same time, the Commission removed Belize from the list of non-cooperating third countries in the fight against illegal fishing and to end the trade measures imposed against the country in March 2014.

Then commissioner Damanaki added: "The improvements Belize made as regards its fisheries control system since its 'red card' show that the EU's fight against illegal fishing works. The formalized co-operation with the EU has helped the country to move towards sustainable fisheries."

Concerning slave labour in Thailand's fishing industry, the Thai Chamber of Commerce and Board of Trade of Thailand, and major producers such as Charoen Pokphand Foods, Thai Union Frozen Products, Sea Value Group, Andaman Seafood Group and TRF Feedmill Co, which  represents 80% of Thailand's shrimp feedmeal sector, have stated their intention to "comply strictly" with the recently introduced Thai laws to crack down on illegal fisheries and human trafficking. Poj Aramwattananont, vice chairman of the Board of Trade of Thailand said: "We want to tell the world that we are very serious in cleaning up the entire seafood supply chain to create sustainability in the fishery industry."

More information

• MEMO: Question and Answers on the EU's fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing (MEMO/14/584)

• Council Regulation (EC) No 1005/2008 establishing a Community system to prevent, deter and eliminate illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing. This key instrument in the fight against illegal fishing aims to allow access to the EU market only to fisheries products that have been certified as legal by the flag state or the exporting state concerned.

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