Opponent, Banchong, disagrees with proposed reversal on Mekong river fishing nets
In a significant development, Banchong Nasae, an advisor to the Thai Sea Watch Association and a recipient of the Santiprachatham Award, has voiced strong opposition to the proposed amendment of Section 69 of the Fisheries Act. This section previously prohibited the use of certain fishing nets at night.
The House approved the new fisheries bill on Dec 25, 2020, which aims to amend Section 69. The proposed amendment allows for the use of seine nets with mesh sizes smaller than 2.5 centimeters for nighttime fishing, combined with light attraction.
Banchong Nasae, in an open letter on Facebook, expressed concern that the use of these nets at night would indiscriminately sweep up vast numbers of juvenile fish and small marine organisms. He compared this potential move to "scientific whaling" in other countries, suggesting it could be abused to legitimize commercial fishing under the guise of research.
The amendment, according to Banchong, would severely harm marine ecosystems, accelerate the depletion of juvenile fish stocks, and undermine the livelihoods of small-scale fishermen. He argued that this practice would destabilize the ocean's food chain, removing the foundation of the food pyramid, ultimately threatening high-value commercial species as well as rare marine life.
No economic or social justification was provided for amending Section 69, Banchong pointed out. He also criticized the parliamentary committee for considering a compromise that would permit purse seine operations beyond 12 nautical miles from shore, pending research results and public hearings.
The compromise, while framed as a middle ground, could potentially be abused, according to Mr Banchong. He urged parliament to maintain the ban on the amendment of Section 69 and called on political parties to publicly pledge not to exploit Section 69.
The open letter was co-signed by the Federation of Thai Fisherfolk Association, the Thai Sea Watch Association, the Association of the Andaman Network, and the Sustainable Development Foundation.
It is worth noting that no new measures have been enacted under Section 57 of the current Fisheries Act in the past decade. Section 57 already allows the minister to designate protected species, but no such measures have been enacted due to pressure from powerful fishing interests.
Banchong warned that vague conditions written into law could lead to a lack of accountability if ecosystems are harmed. He emphasized the need for transparent and sustainable fishing practices to ensure the health of our oceans and the livelihoods of those who rely on them.
The name of the person who rejects the amendment of paragraph 69 of the Fisheries Act and is the leader of a political party in Thailand is not available in the provided search results. However, the growing opposition to this proposed amendment underscores the importance of careful consideration and public debate in shaping our nation's fishing policies.
