Eight private-sector fishery bodies — the Thai Sustainable Fisheries Roundtable (TSFR) — have announced a cooperation with the country’s government to adopt international standards in the Gulf of Thailand.
The team-up has initiated a fishery improvement project, or FIP, which will implement internationally-recognized standards. The project’s main focus is to improve the efficiency of Thai fisheries management and governance, together with environmental responsibility and transparent traceability throughout the supply chain.
The FIP is a collaboration between the government and the private sectors involved in the fisheries, more specifically the eight private-sector fishery bodies who founded TSFR, said Pornsil Patchrintanakul, president of Thai Feed Mill Association.
Those associations include: the National Fisheries Association of Thailand; the Thai Overseas Fisheries Association; the Thai Fishmeal Producers Association; the Thai Feed Mill Association; the Thai Frozen Food Association; the Thai Shrimp Association; the Thai Tuna Industry Association; and the Thai Food Processors’ Association.
The Gulf of Thailand FIP comes after success in developing a FIP in the Andaman Sea with WWF Thailand, said TSFR.
The main goals for the FIP in the Gulf of Thailand are to ensure:
Fisheries products come from responsible fisheries sources, and can be traceable throughout the supply chain.
Supply chains are transparent. Related information shall be clearly communicated among international buyers and all stakeholders.
The implementation of effective fisheries management that prevent, deter and eliminate IUU fishing and overfishing as well as the protection of wider marine ecosystem.
The development of credible monitoring and traceability system that reduces IUU fishing and protects those that respect the rules.
Development of FIP in the Gulf of Thailand is a proof of a true intention of the government’s and related fishing products industry’s effort to create a sustainable fishery for the business, taking into account the problems of IUU fishing and overfishing that result in a decline of fish stock at the present, said Pornsil.
This will also be the first project globally to apply the latest version of IFFO Responsible Supply standards.
“More importantly, the IFFO RS standard is the most suitable for the marine fisheries resource management in Thailand, since Thai Sea is filled with multi-species fish. This FIP will ensure the effective management of marine resources for the development of fisheries for maximum sustainability.”
The Gulf of Thailand FIP will also be partnered on by Sustainable Fisheries Partnership, which will act as a project advisor.
“Sustainable Fisheries Partnership welcomes the launch of the Gulf of Thailand FIP and applauds the hard work of all the participants,” the NGO said. “SFP will offer support to the project through participation in the steering committee and providing expert advice, training and quality assurance that will support progress towards a successful outcome.”
SFP will also help communicate the achievements of the project to stakeholders in the seafood industry and other audiences, it said.
Duncan Leadbitter, director of Australian consultancy Fish Matter, will act as a project manager for this FIP, providing guidance on best practices.