Fishermen, Boat Owners, Trade Group Doubt Thailand Can Meet EU Deadline
SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Reuters] By Amy Sawitta Lefevre - April 23, 2014 -
MAHACHAI, Thailand, Thai fisherman Wanlop Kuemfan says a year ago he would have had double the catch being offloaded at Mahachai, a bustling port town southwest of Bangkok, but it has been a tough year for the fishing industry and he fears it is about to get worse.
The world's third-largest seafood exporter is rushing to beat the clock after the European Union gave the country six months to clamp down on illegal fishing.
Fishermen, ship owners and a senior trade body official all told Reuters the Thai industry would struggle to clean up its act by October, running the risk of an EU embargo on its fish exports if it does not crack down on "pirate" fishing.
At the Thalay Thai seafood market in Mahachai, where around 20 percent of produce ends up in the international market, Wiriya Sirichaiekawat, vice-chairman of the National Fisheries Association of Thailand, said he was sceptical Thailand could register thousands of undocumented fishing boats in time.
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