The EU wants Thailand to reduce the number of trawlers, Mr Adisorn said. According to the department, there are currently more than 11,000 registered trawlers and about 2,000 illegal trawlers. Despite expressing satisfaction with new laws to tackle illegal fishing, the European Union (EU) believes there are too many Thai fishing vessels which will deplete fish stocks if left unchecked. However, the EU remains concerned about the excessive number of trawlers in the country, which threaten seafood stocks and marine ecological systems. The next meeting between Thai and EU officials will be in January next year, where it is expected further progress will be reported to the EU," Mr Adisorn said.

Source: Bangkok Post July 25, 2016 21:29 UTC