Banchong disagrees with the reversal of regulations on Seine fishing nets
In a recent development, Dr. Banchong Nasae, a leading marine conservationist and advisor to the Thai Sea Watch Association, has voiced his concerns over a proposed amendment to Section 69 of the Fisheries Act.
On December 25 last year, the House approved this amendment, but no new information regarding its details has been disclosed. The proposed change would allow the use of seine nets with mesh sizes smaller than 2.5 centimetres for nighttime fishing, a practice that Dr. Nasae argues could indiscriminately sweep up vast numbers of juvenile fish and small marine organisms.
Dr. Nasae, who is also a recipient of the prestigious Santiprachatham Award, called on political parties to publicly pledge not to exploit Section 69. He emphasised the importance of maintaining the ban on amending this section, citing the potential harm it could cause to marine ecosystems.
The marine conservation specialist further criticised 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. Dr. Nasae warned that this move could be abused to legitimize commercial fishing under the guise of research, drawing parallels to "scientific whaling" in other countries.
In addition, Dr. Nasae highlighted that Section 57 of the current Fisheries Act already allows the minister to designate protected species. However, he noted that no such measures have been enacted in the past decade due to pressure from powerful fishing interests.
In contrast, Dr. Nasae advocated for the use of alternative fishing methods such as lift nets, scoop nets, or falling nets, which he believes are capable of catching target species at night without posing such ecological risks.
The letter opposing the amendment was co-signed by several organisations, including the Federation of Thai Fisherfolk Association, the Thai Sea Watch Association, the Association of the Andaman Network, and the Sustainable Development Foundation. Dr. Niphon Phorphan, a senior marine biologist at the Asian Institute of Marine Science, also supported Dr. Nasae's stance.
Dr. Nasae also argued that if vague conditions were written into law, accountability would be lacking should ecosystems be harmed. He urged parliament to exercise caution and carefully consider the potential impacts of this proposed amendment on Thailand's marine environment.
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