Fishing operators say they support a recent decision to reduce the fishing season to 45 days, from three months, to help fish populations recover. They say illegal operators from Thailand and China are using sophisticated technology to boost their hauls, and stripping the seas bare in the process.
A fishing company owner in Yangon, who did not want to be named, said there are many illegal boats trawling commercial fishing grounds in Myanmar’s territorial waters using technologies that are unavailable to domestic operators. He added that the illegal foreign operators were able to bribe officials during the previous government to ignore their activities, but added that many in the industry hope the new government will take the issue seriously.
He added that even if the foreign boats were allowed to operate during the 45-day open season, efforts must be made to regulate catches – to ensure boat owners did not take more than the limits.
“I like the idea of protecting our fisheries because our recent catches have been 50-percent of what we have seen in previous years,” he said. “The former government also closed offshore fisheries but it had no effect – we are hoping that the new government will be more successful in protecting fisheries,” he said. The Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries made the decision to shorten the annual open fishing season from three months to 45 days – from May 1 to June 15 – in mid-April as a response to falling catches that have seen average yields fall by 80pc since 1979. The ministry’s decision was discussed in depth at a Myanmar Fisheries Federation meeting in mid-April during which a number of stakeholders vented their thoughts. Daw Toe Nandar Tin, treasurer of the Myanmar Fishery Products Processors and Exporters Association and chairwoman of Anawa Devi Fishing, expressed her frustration with the change at the meeting.
Those who want the season to remain unchanged argue that even if Myanmar’s fishing companies comply with the new rules, foreign fishermen will not comply, making the effort to conserve the supply pointless.
“If Myanmar’s fishing season is cut to only six week the fisherman won’t get money from their work, but other neighboring countries will come and catch fish from our waters,” Daw Toe Nandar Tin said. “So closing the season will not be effective.”
U Maung Maung Soe, chairman of the Yangon branch of the Myanmar Marine Fisheries Association, said the association was opposed to the reduction of the fishing season but members have not complained to the ministry about the decision. He said closing the season early will hurt families that rely on fishing.
“There are 700 fishing ships in Yangon; workers and their families depend on those ships,” he said. “And there are cold storage factories and dry fish works that will stop running if the fishing season is reduced.”
Original Link Myanmar Times