The system for tracing fishing products remains a challenge but the government is making progress in getting off the European Union commission's watchlist for Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing, says the Department of Fisheries. The EU has slapped a warning, or "yellow card", on Thailand for abuses in the industry such as hiring illegal labourers and a lack of transparency. An EU delegation will visit Thailand this month to inspect for the first time the system for tracing products in the industry, said Umaporn Pimolbutr, deputy chief of the Department of Fisheries. EU commissioners have audited the industry several times since the yellow card was issued in 2015, but so far the tracing system has not been singled out for review, she said. Many are being urged to merge their licences with smaller boats so fishing activities can be easily monitored and fishing stocks can repopulate.

Source: Bangkok Post November 01, 2017 23:48 UTC