ANCHOVY TRAWLING
Fishermen take protest to UN
Blockade ties up port for 5th day
Small-boat fishermen plan to take their protest against nocturnal anchovy fishing by trawlers using lights, which they claim destroys inshore fish stocks, to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation.
Southern fishermen's groups blockading Songkhla Bay have also promised to intensify their protest unless the government revokes the Jan 15, 1996 regulation allowing the practice.
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| The Panamanian container ship Deja Bhum, stranded at Songkhla deep-sea
port for the third day, is surrounded by boats of small-scale fishermen blockading
the bay in protest against nocturnal fishing of anchovy by larger and better-equipped
boats. _ TAWATCHAI KEMGUMNERD |
They had set a deadline of 6pm yesterday, but it passed with no indication of government compliance.
The fishermen, joined by pressure groups and non-governmental organisations, said the planned UN appeal was aimed at drawing attention to the massive destruction of marine resources by trawlers fishing at night with lights.
A blockade of Songkhla Bay and deep-sea port by about 350 small fishing boats was set to enter its fifth day today.
Freighters remained tied up in port last night and cruise ships were said to have delayed their scheduled arrival, resulting in shipping and business losses totalling tens of millions of baht.
Fishermen's representative Banchong Nasae, director of the southern seaboard development project, said the appeal to the UN would help concentrate the government's attention on the issue.
Mr Banchong claimed the anchovy battle was politically motivated.
Government insiders were trying to create undercurrents within the coalition parties.
Meanwhile, Pang-nga fishermen, who mostly fish during the
day, have said they will converge in Songkhla today in support of the protest.
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