THAI EXPORTERS and processors of seafood and fishmeal are confident that tougher rules to stop IUU fishing will improve the European Union\'s perception of the country\'s fisheries management, and that Thailand should be released from its \"yellow card\" warning following a report due in October.

This was the conclusion following a meeting between the Thai Frozen Foods Association, the Thai Tuna Industry Association, the Thai Fishmeal Producers Association, Charoen Pokphand Foods and the International Trade Promotion Department.

The fishmeal industry is expected to be the hardest hit in the short-term by the mooring of vessels while they are inspected for compliance with the regulations, but the export sector should not be affected.

According to Sanguansak Akaravarinechai, president of the Thai Fishmeal Producers Association, the price of fishmeal may increase by about 5-10 per cent as a result of the temporary docking of boats, but this should not affect the whole supply chain of feed meal and aquaculture, as fishmeal accounts for only a small proportion of feed-meal production.

Source: Petchanet Pratruangkrai, THE NATION. The full article can be read here.