BANGKOK- Thailand and Taiwan have agreed to cooperatively enforce laws related to tuna fishing, in a bid to remove the European Union’s yellow card for illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Gen Chatchai Sarikulya said Thai and Taiwanese fisheries officials have recently convened a meeting to solve issues related to IUU fishing. It is Thailand’s plan to seek cooperation from other nations as a way of providing more comprehensive IUU fishing prevention.
The EU gave a yellow card to Taiwan after its fisheries were allegedly found trawling for tuna in international waters. Thailand has also been issued a yellow card, due in part to its association with Taiwan as a major tuna processor. Taiwan is a major exporter of tuna to Europe and the United States.
Under the agreement, the two countries will share important information on tuna fishing activities, such as boat registration, fishing licenses and landfalls. A committee will be set up to inspect Taiwanese fishing vessels arriving in Phuket to offload their catch. The committee will consist of fisheries officials from both nations.
