Thailand''s Fisheries Department plans to start certifying seafood products from non-IUU fishing for exports to Europe by December, one month ahead of schedule, Somying Piumsombun, the director general of the department has said.
Accelerating the process aims to signal Thailand's willingness to comply with the Union's new rule, Ms Somying told reporters.
During the discussions with the head of the EU's Directorate General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries in September, the EU agreed with the certification process drafted by the Fisheries Department, an EU-appointed competent authority, Ms Somying said.
The process enables the EU to trace back the origins of fishery products including catch certificates of trawlers, boarding ports and processing venues. The EU will ban any entry of fishery products suspected of being caught by IUU fishing starting in 2010 to help eliminate IUU fishing activities around the world, thereby preserving fish stocks and the marine environment.
According to Ms Somying, operators - from fishermen and cold storage manufacturers to seafood processors - will be informed of the new guidelines at a meeting in Samut Sakhon, the country's main fishery hub. More meetings will also be held in coastal provinces.
Songsang Patavanich, an honorary adviser to the Thai Overseas Fisheries Association, said the new rule would help clear Thailand of rampant illegal and excessive fishing allegations lodged by foreign countries. He went on to suggest the Fisheries Department revamp the industry by enforcing the use of proper fishing tools to preserve fish stocks and register all trawlers.
The non-IUU certificates will help Thai fishery products to meet the requirements of non-governmental organisations such as Greenpeace in Australia and the EU, which call for the imports of non-IUU fishing products.
