To the attention of:

H.E. Ambassador of the European Commission

Bangkok

Your Excellency:

We, the undersigned are the representatives of the Federation of Small Scale Fisherfolk in Southern Thailand, a coalition of community organizations which members are fisherfolk from 13 provinces including the representatives of non governmental organizations (NGOs) working in the fishing communities in the south of Thailand and NGOs concerning people´s rights and justice.

Our traditional fishing has long time sustained our occupation, living and environment with natural harmony for decades since we truly believe that the sea will give us a livelihood for generations to come if fishing is operated in a non-greedy way. But present reality, our modest livelihood in our communities has been threatened by the boom of commercial fishing for export. The modern technology fishing gears such as trawler boats with pushing nets or drag nets had completely destroyed diversity of our marine resources. Almost of the coastal areas where used to be the vital food sources are no longer existing.

Moreover, the national development policy that promote on large scale fishing enterprises and sea-food processing for export-only also caused implications towards our livelihoods and communities. Resulting from the decline of fish catches along the coastline, the number of anchovy trawler has been dramatically increased in the recent years, particularly the trawlers which equipped with electric-lamps and fine-mesh nets. The light from trawlers can attract a vast range of marine animals, not only the anchovy but all kinds of small creatures. There is a scientifically proved that only 50-60 % of the nocturnal catch is anchovy fish while the left is comprised of pre-matured fish and several kinds of plankton, the sources of marine fertility. That obviously caused serious consequences for us, the poor people who have to rely on traditional fishing.

The small scale fisherfolk in the south of Thailand which the majority come from Muslim communities have painstakingly tried to solve our own problem in many ways, for instance; organizing ourselves to conserve and/or protect natural resources and launching popular campaign at local and national levels on sustainable development. We object all kinds of fishing that cause harm to marine ecology which undoubtedly make us confront with the operators of nocturnal anchovy trawlers.

However, the conflict over anchovy fishing in southern Thailand between small scale fisher people and nocturnal anchovy fishing trawlers gets into worsen situation when the Ministry of Agriculture permitted fishermen to use lamps and fine-mesh nets (mesh size lesser than 2.5 cm) in March 1996. Since then, the fishing trawlers that equipped with generators are drastically increased due to commercial-oriented attitude of fishing business. The estimated catch of 10,000 kg per night of the so-called "anchovy" is nothing but the ecological destruction of marine-life and our natural resources. These products are mainly exported to the Southeast Asia neighbour countries namely Malaysia and Brunei; and also some other countries in the Middle East i.e. Saudi Arabia, and the big markets in Japan and European Union.

The conflict has been addressed in the public and press for years by several times protests of small scale fishermen in the south, but it seems the state authorities and the policy makers are lacking of genuine concern in our problems. The poor have been calling for justice over and over without any sincere resolution from the former and present governments. Promises from politicians both from government and opposition parties and state authorities were nothing but only lip services.

We can no longer survive if our marine resources have been destroyed by the failed development policies of the government The government not only ignores the impacts that it has caused, but continues to make more problems for the affected people by ignoring the conflict among the people in communities.

This is the reason why we demonstrate our rights to call for the ban of all kinds of nocturnal fishing of anchovy trawlers. The protest in southern provinces is what we ask for our survival with peaceful means. We pledge Thai people and the whole nation to support us in our struggling for our sustainable livelihood which will remain with us for generations to come.

We demand our Government by the Ministry of Agriculture to scrap the ministerial announcement issued in 1996 that allows anchovy fishing boat equipped with electric lights and meshed-nets less than 2.5 cm. Anchovy trawlers with electric light must be absolutely banned to fish in Thai water.

We demand the Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai and the policy makers under his administration to recognize the importance of this problem and take prompt action to solve the conflict arisen in southern fisherfolk communities who have to earn their income from anchovy catching by given the priority to sustainable society and marine ecology protection.

We are sure that the organizations of international community who responsible to promote sustainability development, such as FAO, in terms of Food and Agriculture production to feed humanity, will be well aware of our problem. Therefore we urge the FAO to consider any intervention to promote the protection of national fisheries of the right of the fisherfolk to a sustainable livelihood and genuine food security in every relevant international practices.

Hereby, we are respectfully requesting the countries who are the importers of the anchovy from Thailand to limit your importation from Thailand only when you can ensure that the anchovy stocks do not come from the trawlers that used lamps and/or ecologically destructive methods. The nocturnal anchovy trawlers will not decrease or stop unless consumers in your countries realize that their consumption of anchovy can, consequently causes destruction of both, the marine ecosystem and the communities of small scale fisherfolk in Thailand.

We, once again, kindly urge your Excellency, the Ambassadors of the Malaysia, Brunei, Saudi Arabia, Japan and the EU, to consider our petition and also convey our message to the people in your respected nations to understand the situation we face in our communities. We do hope they will fully understand our severe hardship to conserve our sea, our natural resources, our livelihoods and ultimately our struggling for justice.

Thank you very much for your kind attention.

Very truly yours

Mr. Sama-ae Jahmudor : Secretary General

Federation of Small Scale Fisherfolk in Southern Thailand (13 Provinces)

Mr. Bunjong Nasae : Director

Thai NGO-COD and Danced Partnership Programme Towards Sustainable Management of Natural Resources, Southern Region.

Mr. Chaipan Praphasawat : Director
Institute for Community Rights

Ms Vanida Tantivitayapitak : Consultant

Assembly of the Poor

Mr. Thanu Neab-nein : Coordinator

Wetland Project, Wildlife Fund Thailand