The Environmental Justice Foundation’s Executive Director has met with the Deputy Prime Minister, praising Thailand as the first country in the region to have successfully overcome illegal, unregulated, unreported (IUU) fishing.

Deputy Prime Minister Gen Prawit Wongsuwan, today welcomed the Environmental Justice Foundation’s (EJF) Executive Director, Mr. Steve Trent, to the Ministry of Defence in Bangkok.

The Deputy Prime Minister’s Assistant Spokesman Maj Gen Patchasak Patirupanon, disclosed that Gen Prawit Wongsuwan had thanked Mr Trent for the organization’s offer to help Thailand solve the problem of IUU fishing, which helped the country achieve the lifting of the yellow-flag warning over a 4-5 year period.

The DPM assured the Foundation’s Executive Director, that the government will continue to suppress IUU fishing, keeping the country IUU Free, and has asked the EJF to help assist the Thai government in addressing issues in the fisheries’ labor sector.

The UK-based nonprofit’s director thanked the DPM for the welcome from Thai authorities, and praised Thailand’s successful efforts in combating IUU fishing, being the first country in the region to achieve this goal and becoming a model for other countries around the world.

He asked the Thai government to maintain its focus on solving issues in the fishing industry and promoting sustainability, adding that the EJF is willing to provide support and guidance.