Thailand joins forces with seven economies to solve IUU

BANGKOK, March 7 (TNA) - The Thai government, through the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, is cooperating with China, Fiji, Indonesia, Malaysia, South Korea, Spain and Taiwan to solve problems relating to the illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (IUU), alleged by the European Union (EU). Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister General Chatchai Sarikalya told journalists on Monday that his ministry has drafted memoranda of understanding (MOUs) with the seven economies to ensure that the Thai fishing industry meets the EU standards. General Chatchai said that the draft MOUs also cover cooperation between Thailand and the seven economies on academic knowledge, technological transfer and the promotion of fishing products. General Chatchai noted that Spain's fishery agency has lately accepted a draft MOU proposed by his ministry and has also expressed its readiness to present its vessel monitoring system (VMS) to Thai officials The minister revealed that Thai officials will visit Spain later this month to discuss cooperation and inspect its VMS. Besides, the director-general of his ministry's Department of Fisheries and representatives of the Command Center for Combating Illegal Fishing of Thailand visited Taiwan during Februay 29-March 3 to discuss fishing issues. According to the minister, Thailand and Taiwan will exchange information on fishing activities so that concerned parties can check the origins of fishing products. (TNA)