The EU has been cracking down on illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing with the threat of import restrictions.

The European Commission is “evaluating progress”, it said yesterday, noting that a meeting with the Thai authorities is due to take place next month, Deutsche Presse-Agentur reported from Brussels.

“The dialogue is proving difficult and there remain serious concerns about the steps taken by Thailand to fight IUU fishing activities,” EU Fisheries Commissioner Karmenu Vella wrote in a statement, adding that “further action … cannot be ruled out”.

“Thailand’s fisheries industry has an inadequate legal framework within effective sanctions that fail to deter, poor monitoring systems, and problematic management,” the commission said. It also warned about human trafficking and slave labour in the Thai fisheries sector, although these issues are not covered by EU rules on illegal fishing activities.

Thailand, the world’s third-largest seafood supplier, was warned a year ago that it must do more to crack down on illegal fishing practices or else face EU sanctions.

Deputy premier Prawit Wongsuwan has admitted to some shortcomings in trying to solve the IUU fishing issue as identified by the EU, whose officials yesterday suggested the 28-country grouping will maintain its threat of a Thai seafood import ban.

But Prawit, who heads the government’s multi-agency committee tasked with tackling the problem, said there had been no report issued so far by Virachai Plasai – the Thai ambassador and permanent representative to the United Nations in New York – regarding the prospect that Thailand might get a “red card” from the EU over the issue when it re-evaluated what measures it might impose on the Kingdom shortly.

Prawit said the EU was not satisfied with Thai measures on certain aspects of the effort to solve the IUU problem but the government would continue to implement its actions and report the progress to EU officials.//DEUTSCHE PRESSE-AGENTUR/THE NATION