Thailand has advance for implementing a comprehensive system to combat IUU fishing. It has taken a reforms of legal framework and implementing regulations, the fisheries management limiting the fishing license issuance in compliance with the quantity of aquatic animals, the fleet management putting control over fishing vessels of all sizes and types, the monitoring, control and surveillance through port-in and port-out control since 2015 to present. Thailand has implemented PSM and assigned 26 PSM ports for port entry of foreign vessel. Moreover, for Thai oversea vessels installation of vessel monitoring system (VMS), and especially installation of electronic reporting system (ERS) electronic monitoring system (EM) for oversea fishing fleet, as well as the development of traceability system for catches from Thai-flagged vessel. Thailand has implemented NPOA-Sharks, Thailand: Plan 1, 2020-2024.
In 2020, Thailand had no fishing vessel operated in high sea of IOTC competent. Thailand had only domestic purse seiner fishery in the Andaman Sea, the number of fishing vessel was registered 228 in 2020. Their operated the fishing from shores is 10 to 30 nautical miles and depth of water range from 20-80 m. In 2020, Bullet tuna (50.40%) is the main composition, followed by Kawakawa 31.51%, Longtail tuna 11.32%, Frigate tuna 3.24% Skipjack tuna 2.00%, King mackerel 1.49% and Indo-Pacific sailfish 0.04%. The CPUE of 5 species in 2020 showed 381.14 kg/day, 238.31 kg/day, 85.59 kg/day, 24.49 kg/day, 15.16 kg/day, 11.30 kg/day and 0.28 kg/day, respectively.
At Present, DOF is launch authorizing Thai-flagged overseas fishing vessels. Currently, there has been applications from begin with Thai-flagged overseas fishing fleet. These vessels operate in SIOFA area and target demersal fish species. No application has been submitted for vessels operating in the IOTC area.