BANGKOK, 6 July 2015 – Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has urged fishing vessel operators to observe all relevant laws, in order to avoid negative consequences to consumers and exports of fishery products.
General Prayut indicated that any halting of fishing activity would have drastic effects on workers in the fishery sector, and thus he would like vessel operators to collaborate with all sectors to avoid impacting domestic consumption and exports. He also suggested that fishery associations merge into larger groups to make it easier for assistance measures to be provided and in order to allow workers of docked vessels to remain employed.
At the Bang Nak Market in Narathiwat City, seafood sellers said catch has dwindled after some fishermen in Pattani stopped going to sea and local fishermen were bringing in less fish than before.
At Khok Matum Market in Phitsanulok City, prices of seafood have gone up slightly correlating with the lowered amount of available catch, while marine fish has disappeared completely from the market. Consumers have also expressed their intention to forgo seafood consumption if prices continue to increase.
