BANGKOK, April 4 (TNA) – Thailand spearheads in a bid to establish ASEAN IUU Task Force to collectively combat illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing in the region.
On Thursday and Friday, Thailand, the current ASEAN chair, is hosting The ASEAN Meeting on Combating IUU Fishing in Partnership with the EU. Over 70 participants representing ASEAN countries, the European Union and international fishery organizations have attended the forum to reaffirm their commitment in the fight against IUU.
The two-day event organized by Thailand’s Department of Fisheries and Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, also provides a platform for discussion and exchange on sustainable fisheries.
Agriculture and Cooperatives Deputy Minister Lak Wajananawatch told reporters that the main objective of the forum was to advance the proposal to establish ASEAN IUU Task Force to be the ASEAN’s core cooperative mechanism in combating IUU.
The Task Force would bring together ASEAN countries to share information, coordinate law enforcement and draw up measures for sustainable fishing in the region, he said.
Lak said he hoped that the forum would lead to closer cooperation among the ASEAN member states to eradicate IUU fishing as Thailand assuming the ASEAN chairmanship under the theme “Advancing Partnership for Sustainability.”
The Fisheries Department’s Director-General Adisorn Promthep said that he expected the Meeting to finalize a proposal on establishing the ASEAN IUU Task Force to be forwarded to ASEAN Sectoral Working Group on Fisheries (ASWGFi)
Source: Thai News Agency
Photo credit Thailand Department of Fisheries
