On 3 – 4 April 2019, Mr. João Aguiar Machado, Director-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries of the European Commission (DG MARE) paid courtesy calls on H.E. General Prawit Wongsuwan and H.E. General Chatchai Sarikulaya, Deputy Prime Ministers, during his visit to Thailand to attend the ASEAN Meeting on Combating IUU Fishing in Partnership with the EU hosted by Thailand in Bangkok from 4 – 5 April 2019.

 

Mr. Machado commended Thailand’s commitment to combating IUU fishing, as apparent in the effective preventive and deterrent mechanisms Thailand has developed throughout the years and in fulfilling her obligations as a flag state, coastal state, and market state. Moreover, Mr. Machado congratulated Thailand on the ratification of the International Labor Organisation (ILO) Work in Fishing Convention No. 188. 2007 (C188), which demonstrated Thailand’s willingness to improve working conditions of workers in the fisheries sector. In this regard, he emphasised the desire of the European Union (EU) to partner with Thailand in fighting against IUU fishing and to provide support to Thailand to further develop the IUU Free-Thailand policy and the catch certificate scheme, as well as to upgrade the current cooperation to the regional level. In light of Thailand’s ASEAN chairmanship this year, Mr. Machado also commended Thailand for underlining the importance of cooperation in the fight against IUU fishing in ASEAN through the convening of the ASEAN Meeting on Combating IUU Fishing in Partnership with the EU. 

 

The Thai side thanked the EU for its continuous support of Thailand over the past 4 years, which led to the subsequent lifting of the yellow card on 8 January 2019. The Thai side emphasised that Thailand will continue to work closely with the EU to improve the efficiency of the existing mechanisms as well as to strictly enforce the laws. Additionally, Thailand reassured the EU that the change of government will not affect Thailand’s policy on combating IUU fishing, since the government has put in place a good system as well as developing a new generation of personnel in charge who are capable of utilising advanced technology, together with an allocated budget to ensure continuity in anti-IUU policy. Furthermore, as the ASEAN chair this year, Thailand wishes to upgrade the existing cooperation in the fight against IUU fishing to the regional level and will push for this issue to be a top agenda for ASEAN.

 

Additionally, Thailand hosted the ASEAN Meeting on Combating IUU Fishing in Partnership with the EU from 4 – 5 April 2019 with a view to building a platform for member states to (1) share information on best practices for combating IUU fishing and also to allow member states to learn from experts from the EU and international agencies experienced in monitoring, control, and surveillance, and (2) discuss the possibility of creating an operational network between relevant ASEAN enforcement agencies and national authorities to enhance their capacity and capabilities in fighting against IUU fishing.