The decline of marine resources in Thailand has had a disproportionate impact on small-scale fishers, causing economic hardships for artisanal fishers and resulting in insufficient income. Consequently, many families have abandoned their ships, opting instead for hired labour to sustain their livelihoods. This shift has contributed to the fragmentation of communities, and the consequences of this trend are apparent in the collapse of several villages and numerous communities.
In Thailand, organising artisanal fishers involves collaborative efforts to establish collective structures and networks that enhance socio-economic wellbeing and address common challenges. In this context, artisanal fishers, who typically operate on a small scale, come together to form cooperatives, associations, or community-based organisations in several forms based on their backgrounds and agendas.
In response to the decline in marine resources, various communities in the southern part of Thailand have been actively engaged in protecting and restoring the seas they rely on. In October 1993, artisanal fisher organisations in the 13 provinces along the Southern Sea coast collectively founded the "Southern Artisanal Fishers’ Association." This association was created to exchange community rights, promote conservation and restoration of marine and coastal resources, facilitate career development, enhance quality of life, and advocate for policy proposals related to local fisheries communities. These efforts have established the concept of citizen-empowered and participatory management of sea and coast resources among artisanal fishing communities.
However, despite these local initiatives, Thailand's fishing industry saw little change. Recognising the need for a more consolidated effort, the Southern Artisanal Fisher's Association took the initiative to form a national network of artisanal fishers across Thailand. In 2010, they officially established and registered as the Federation of Thai Fisherfolk Association (FTFA). The goal of this NFA was to create a representative artisanal fishers' organisation at the national level and continue their mission to address the challenges faced by artisanal fishers.
The FTFA stands out as a well-equipped NFA, particularly in terms of mobilisation skills and engagement with policymakers. This has led to numerous successful events across various levels, with a notable emphasis on national-level advocacy. This effectiveness can be summarised in three key points:
1. Integrated Framework: FTFA is a composite organisation resulting from the merger of 67 subsidiaries across different fishing communities. These subsidiaries, each with distinct purposes such as area-based, gear-based, or issue-specific focuses (e.g., Women's Fishermen's Association, Fish Food Processing Association, Tsunami Recovery and Development Association), collectively operate under the unified structure of FTFA.
2. Collaborative Governance: FTFA actively engages in a co-management setting within state mechanisms, contributing perspectives on policy and legislation related to fisheries management issues. This involvement extends to various national levels, including the National Fisheries Board, Parliamentary Sub-Committee on Fisheries Dispute Resolution, and Provincial Fisheries Committee.
3. Policy Advocacy: While artisanal fishing has historically been overlooked in political decision-making processes, FTFA prioritises involvement in policy design. Beyond participating in state mechanisms, FTFA invites state officials and policymakers to the association's premises, facilitating direct communication and issue recognition. Recent achievements include inviting ministers of agriculture and cooperatives to the FTFA’s annual assembly, fostering a process to convey local concerns and promoting the principles of good governance.
FTFA’s Advocacy Agenda
The following points detail the advocacy aims of the FTFA:
1. Advocate for shared authority among artisanal fishers in managing local coastal marine resources. The association aims to establish legislation for provincial or local fishing committees, ensuring the rights and participation of individuals, artisanal fishers, and local governance organisations in regulating sea use at the local level.
2.Stop destructive practices. Encouraging responsible fishing practices, proper gear usage, and species selection can achieve balance, justice, equity, distribution, and national food security.
3. Regulate and curb destructive large-scale fishing. Thailand currently lacks a defined maritime boundary for efficient management of marine fisheries resources. To promote abundance, it is imperative to prohibit the operation of large-scale and destructive fishing vessels within 5 nautical miles of the coastal area.
4. Support community empowerment for coastal resources and habitat protection. The association advocates for policies promoting community-led resource management and conservation.
5. Address housing issues for small rural fishers and respect their traditional way of life. Current laws have led to the eviction of communities, hindering the right to shelter. The association calls for revising laws to protect the housing and cultural practices of local fishers.
6. Support the productivity of small-scale fishers for economic stability and food security. Despite the presence of high-quality aquatic resources, depletion has resulted in scarcity and diminished prices for artisanal fishers. The association advocates for the direct purchase of seafood from these artisanal fishers to address these challenges.
FTFA’s Alignment with SSF Guidelines
The FTFA bases much of their work on the SSF Guidelines, emphasising voluntary, sustainable efforts to support small-scale fishers. The focus includes fostering food stability, poverty eradication, and engaging in fishing practices that promote resource conservation. Additionally, the guidelines address the demands for artisanal fishers’ rights and aim to develop the potential of local fishers across various fields. Their strategies to advocate for the rights of artisanal fishers includes:
1. Establishing a local fishing community organisation and an association for artisanal fishers.
Collaboration among diverse artisanal fishers’ organisations aims to bring about practical and political changes in fisheries management. The key shift towards sustainable fishing for the FTFA is the emergence of the "Local Community Fisher's Organisation." This entity serves as a resource conservation group, safeguarding members and managing community production processes. Additionally, it provides a platform for members to participate in policy-making at various levels. The strategic focus includes encouraging the creation of artisanal fishers’ associations, nurturing leadership among artisanal fishers, and improving overall quality of life.
2. Enhancing community engagement based on gender diversity and developing the capabilities of women in the local fishing communities.
Community-driven fisheries management involving all genders seeks to foster a sustainable and inclusive sector. Despite their potential, local women in coastal areas face limitations. The FTFA focuses on empowering women, providing them with active roles in resource conservation and environmental engagement. Key objectives include integrating women into fisheries management committees, providing them with knowledge in resource management, and fostering economic stability.
3. Managing production and marketing, establishing community-based aquatic product management groups, promoting sustainable local fisheries standards, and communicating with consumers.
Artisanal fishers generate low incomes due to fragmented resources and high fishing costs. To improve this, the FTFA has been addressing the pricing of fishery products, raising market prices, encouraging collaboration in managing catch yields, and linking coastal conservation directly to consumers by developing the "Blue Brand Standard." This standard assures consumers that products are sourced using sustainable, environmentally-friendly, and non-destructive fishing practices, providing fair compensation to artisanal fishers. This not only meets consumer demands for quality and safety, but also creates opportunities for local fishing communities.
4. Implementing activities focused on the rehabilitation, conservation, and development of fisheries resources, promoting sustainable fishing practices.
The FTFA have also tackled waste management in fishing communities and on vessels through awareness and promoting actionable measures. They have advocated for renewable energy to address soaring energy costs, with a focus on promoting solar energy and bio-diesel.
5. Promoting and developing the new generation of smart fishers through the establishment of a sustainable local fishing school.
This initiative aims to educate and train fishers on responsible fishing practices. The fishing school covers theoretical and practical aspects, including regulations on fishing tools, legal practices, and outdoor fishing techniques. Emphasis is placed on instilling a sustainable fishing consciousness.
6. Encouraging active participation in the development of policy proposals for fisheries resource management at both provincial and national levels.
Given the dynamic nature of policies and laws affecting artisanal fishers, particularly those addressing sustainable fisheries management, there is a vital need for artisanal fishers to advocate for policy reforms. This involves formulating proposals for government consideration, aiming to amend or define policies and laws that align with the livelihood of artisanal fishers. To achieve this, FTFA community-based policy reform initiatives aim to employ educational approaches, strengthen local institutions, and expand networks at national and regional levels. Promoting artisanal fishing networks plays a key role in educating the community about pertinent policy and legal issues, facilitating impactful policy suggestions.
