By the Associated Press
BANGKOK — Major United Nations agencies are urging major fishing nations to join efforts to fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.
Adisorn Promthep, director-general of Thailand’s Department of Fisheries (AP Photo/Elaine Kurtenbach)
The UN Food and Agricultural Organization and other groups made the call at a meeting in Bangkok on Wednesday focused on helping protect fisheries and those working in the industry.
Thailand is the world's biggest importer of tuna.
It has one of seven state-of-the-art monitoring centers helping to control access to regional ports to curb IUU fishing.
Illegal fishing costs countries in the Asia-Pacific region some $5 billion a year.
The total global loss is quadruple that. Rogue fishing vessels often engage in other crimes.
Adisorn Promthep, director-general of Thailand's Department of Fisheries, said preventing such fishing vessels from selling illegal catches is the most vital element of those controls.