Inspections on fishing trawlers for VMS, TED conducted

The fishing trawlers started their operations starting from the first week of June. The Fisheries Department is supervising the trawlers whether they install VMS and Turtle Excluder Device (TED) to ensure the marine resource and rare marine animal conservations.
The country earns foreign income from livestock and marine products. The marine workers also reap profits from freshwater and saltwater products. The officials also eased the ban on the fishing season for one month with 30 per cent of fishing boats. Currently, the fishing boats resumed their operations in Rakhine State, Ayeyawady Region, Yangon Region, Mon State and Taninthayi Region on 1 June.
“We inspect the VMS and TED on the fishing boats. We took action against nine boats for not installing TED in February. We make them use these devices as the turtles can go out from that iron hole. We check the fishing boats with VMS to monitor their activities and ensure that they do not go to restricted areas and we stop them if they do not follow our warnings,” said U Thet Oo, Director of the Rakhine State Fisheries Department.
More than 230 fishing trawlers from Rakhine State and Yangon Region and about 1,400 trawlers from Dawei, Myeik and Kawthoung of Taninthayi Region, and other permitted vessels from Ayeyawady Region and Mawlamyine make preparations to resume operations.
“The fishing boats are allowed to go after the inspections. The inspection teams check the boatmen, boat, materials and other machines, especially TED and VMS. The onshore marine products are exported to Ranong, Thailand and the offshore products will be exported by the end of this month. During last year’s mini-budget period, the country exported more than $200 million worth of marine products and now we expect more foreign income this year,” said U Aung Myint Toe, Director of the Taninthayi Region Fisheries Department. — Nyein Thu (MNA)/GNLM