Thai government finds ways to help fishing industry

BANGKOK, July 8 (TNA) - Thai Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-ocha says that he will meet concerned parties to work out assistance for the local fishing industry, which is facing strict control, on the condition that it will not allow illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. The prime minister, who is also Chief of the army-led National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), suggested on Tuesday that the concerned parties consider overseas fisheries, commercial fisheries and small fisheries and the key is that all the three kinds of fishing need to be legal. The prime minister told journalists that his government is looking for measures to relieve trouble of the local fishing industry, especially that of small fishermen who may be affected by the strict control on illegal fishing. The prime minister noted that there will be relief measures which may be issued as an organic law or by virtue of Section 44 of the Provisional Constitution, but they must not violate any of the 15 IUU rules, namely a green light on fish imports. The prime minister explained that his government's strict control is aimed to protect long-term exports of Thai fishery products to Europe, which is the biggest market for the Thai products. Meanwhile, Deputy Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai told reporters that Thailand's solutions to IUU have been much more progress so far, stressing that they are aimed to benefit all parties. (TNA)