Privatizing the commons for Privatizing the commons for aquaculture in Thailandaquaculture in Thailand

Emerging Concerns of Fishing Communities:Issues of Labour, Trade, Gender, Disaster Preparedness,

Biodiversity and Responsible Fisheries4 - 6 July 2006

SESC, Fortaleza, Brazil

Sea food bankSea food bank

SeaSea Food BankFood Bank This project has been promoted by Thai Rak This project has been promoted by Thai Rak

Thai political party with its campaign to end Thai political party with its campaign to end poverty for the poor.poverty for the poor.

The project advocate to allocate potential areas The project advocate to allocate potential areas for aquaculture at the coastal areas and for aquaculture at the coastal areas and seashore as well as to endorse ownership rights seashore as well as to endorse ownership rights to 107,000 persons to conduct aquaculture to 107,000 persons to conduct aquaculture activities .(3-10 rai to each individual)activities .(3-10 rai to each individual)

The Rights given can be used to guarantee for The Rights given can be used to guarantee for getting credit from the bank, or to lease for getting credit from the bank, or to lease for having capital for an investment .It can also be having capital for an investment .It can also be inherited. inherited. ∙∙∙∙

Capitalized the seaCapitalized the sea In this coming January, we going to start the policy in capitalizing the sea in In this coming January, we going to start the policy in capitalizing the sea in

which we hope to benefit the poor. In the past ,the poor have not been able which we hope to benefit the poor. In the past ,the poor have not been able to easily access to capital in which made them have to borrow money from to easily access to capital in which made them have to borrow money from informal sector with high interest. These made the poor poorer…………informal sector with high interest. These made the poor poorer…………

I would like to repeatedly say that in the world of capitalized democratic I would like to repeatedly say that in the world of capitalized democratic countries, it is impossible to have bright future if you do not have capital. countries, it is impossible to have bright future if you do not have capital. Therefore everyone have to access to capital source………..Therefore everyone have to access to capital source………..

There are many critique on my idea of capitalized the sea : the concept of There are many critique on my idea of capitalized the sea : the concept of transformation of property to become capitaltransformation of property to become capital It is their opinion that this idea It is their opinion that this idea will destroy the poor. In my opinion, this policy will offer opportunitywill destroy the poor. In my opinion, this policy will offer opportunity for the for the poor to built their future ,built their life.poor to built their future ,built their life.

“ “ Tasking meet the peopleTasking meet the people program “program “

BackgroundBackground

Present fish production is Present fish production is around 3.7 million tons a around 3.7 million tons a year .Most of the year .Most of the production are from the production are from the sea.76 percent from the sea.76 percent from the sea/12 percent from sea/12 percent from aquaculture.aquaculture.

Increasing more Increasing more production from production from aquaculture is needed to aquaculture is needed to ensure food security for ensure food security for internal consumption and internal consumption and for income generation.. . for income generation.. .

Background [cont’]Background [cont’]

Over used of natural resources beyond its caring capacity Over used of natural resources beyond its caring capacity cause to decreasing of natural products.cause to decreasing of natural products.

Aquaculture will help substitute natural products and Aquaculture will help substitute natural products and increase high productivity sufficient for consumption and increase high productivity sufficient for consumption and export.export.

There are abandon of potential areas for aquaculture that There are abandon of potential areas for aquaculture that can be utilized for increasing productivity of marine can be utilized for increasing productivity of marine products instead of relying only from natural sources.products instead of relying only from natural sources.

Background [cont’]Background [cont’]

There is a total potential There is a total potential coastal areas of 262,68 rais can coastal areas of 262,68 rais can be utilized for aquaculture only be utilized for aquaculture only 130,160 rais have been utilized, 130,160 rais have been utilized, another 154,386 rai have not another 154,386 rai have not been used.been used.

The government has the policy to The government has the policy to diminish poverty within 6 years, diminish poverty within 6 years, those potential areas can be those potential areas can be distributed to registered poor distributed to registered poor families for earning form families for earning form aquaculture activities.aquaculture activities.

SeaSea Food BankFood Bank This project has been promoted by Thai Rak This project has been promoted by Thai Rak

Thai political party with its campaign to end Thai political party with its campaign to end poverty for the poor.poverty for the poor.

The project advocate to allocate potential areas The project advocate to allocate potential areas for aquaculture at the coastal areas and for aquaculture at the coastal areas and seashore as well as to endorse ownership rights seashore as well as to endorse ownership rights to 107,000 persons to conduct aquaculture to 107,000 persons to conduct aquaculture activities .(3-10 rai to each individual)activities .(3-10 rai to each individual)

The Rights given can be used to guarantee for The Rights given can be used to guarantee for getting credit from the bank, or to lease for getting credit from the bank, or to lease for having capital for an investment .It can also be having capital for an investment .It can also be inherited. inherited. ∙∙∙∙

ObjectivesObjectives

Distribute available areas Distribute available areas to be used for economic to be used for economic activities for registered activities for registered poor families to address poor families to address poverty.poverty.

Increase food production Increase food production and food security.and food security.

Keep moderate food price Keep moderate food price for consumers .for consumers .

Improve and upgrade Improve and upgrade production system.production system.

How do they do it?How do they do it?

Survey the potential areasSurvey the potential areasใใ Call for poor families registration.Call for poor families registration. Distribute the areas ;according to the type of Distribute the areas ;according to the type of

activity and potentiality for production the activity and potentiality for production the natural system.natural system.

Getting credit from the bank: capital for Getting credit from the bank: capital for aquaculture.aquaculture.

Training and technology advise.Training and technology advise.

How do they do it? [cont’]How do they do it? [cont’]

Contract for the production.Contract for the production. Close monitoring; Food safety standard.Close monitoring; Food safety standard. Market arrangement.Market arrangement.

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What will be happening?What will be happening?Who will actually benefit from this project?Who will actually benefit from this project?Will it be really benefiting the small scale Will it be really benefiting the small scale

fishery.?fishery.?Who actually be benefiting.?Who actually be benefiting.?Do it has other alternative if GO is really mean Do it has other alternative if GO is really mean

to help the poor?to help the poor???????????????????????

““rights to use but not rights to own”rights to use but not rights to own”

Sea is a public propertySea is a public property , no one has rights to own .” If one , no one has rights to own .” If one wants to conduct aquaculture activities, one need to get wants to conduct aquaculture activities, one need to get

permissionpermission from authorized agencies.from authorized agencies.

Permission of use is according to the arrangement, if one want Permission of use is according to the arrangement, if one want to do this one can get permission usually it will be last for one to do this one can get permission usually it will be last for one year, and subject to be reviewed every year.year, and subject to be reviewed every year.

The property remains for the common, and other small-scale The property remains for the common, and other small-scale fisher folk have the rights to utilize the areafisher folk have the rights to utilize the area

Increasing/decreasing of food Increasing/decreasing of food productsproducts

Promoting aquaculture Promoting aquaculture mean increasing demand mean increasing demand for instant foodstuff for instant foodstuff

Foodstuff is products in Foodstuff is products in which juvenile fishes are which juvenile fishes are one of the main ingredient.one of the main ingredient.

It has been an evidence that It has been an evidence that the juvenile fish are the juvenile fish are economically significant economically significant species that have been species that have been destroyed by destructive destroyed by destructive fishing gears and fishing gears and techniques.techniques.

Increasing/decreasing of food Increasing/decreasing of food productsproducts

If the scale of aquaculture If the scale of aquaculture development increased, development increased, significant and direct significant and direct impacts will be on economic impacts will be on economic fish species.fish species.

Would it be worthy to Would it be worthy to increasing food products to increasing food products to serve a few, while destroying serve a few, while destroying natural juvenile fish species?natural juvenile fish species?

Wouldn’t it be more Wouldn’t it be more worthwhile to rehabilitate worthwhile to rehabilitate juvenile species and benefit juvenile species and benefit more small-scale producer?more small-scale producer?

Entry point to privatize the seaEntry point to privatize the sea

Distribute and re locating the areas can not be Distribute and re locating the areas can not be realistic-only to open new areas.realistic-only to open new areas.

Only some will be benefiting but not the real poor Only some will be benefiting but not the real poor families.families.

Direct dependency relationship to macro economic Direct dependency relationship to macro economic for export oriented not for ensuring food security for export oriented not for ensuring food security as as stated.as as stated.

It is the open ways to transfer community rights to It is the open ways to transfer community rights to individual-first look to be for the fisherman families individual-first look to be for the fisherman families but later it will be for private sector,but later it will be for private sector,

since it is open to poor families nation wide.since it is open to poor families nation wide.

ImpactImpact

Conflict inside the community and among the Conflict inside the community and among the community.community.

Marginalize the small scaleMarginalize the small scale fishery families.fishery families. Environment impact.Environment impact. Destroy micro economy-put up dependency Destroy micro economy-put up dependency

relationship with macro economy.relationship with macro economy. Marginalize the women-bad condition.Marginalize the women-bad condition. Not only that it will not create food security but Not only that it will not create food security but

also create more debt-more hard life.also create more debt-more hard life.

Good governance vs Public policyGood governance vs Public policy

This project effect to thousand of the This project effect to thousand of the small fishermen small fishermen

This project to top down decision while This project to top down decision while Thailand ConstitutionThailand Constitution require public require public participation in the development of public participation in the development of public policies that will effect to socio- policies that will effect to socio-economic, and an environment of the economic, and an environment of the community and society.community and society.

It is the concrete the political party’s It is the concrete the political party’s popular policypopular policy to gain more votes from the to gain more votes from the so call ‘the poor’ for the next election. so call ‘the poor’ for the next election.

People actionPeople action

NO TO SEA FOOD NO TO SEA FOOD BANKBANK

AVOCATE FOR AVOCATE FOR COMMUNITY RIGHTS COMMUNITY RIGHTS IN THE MANEMENT IN THE MANEMENT OF COASTAL OF COASTAL RESOURCES.RESOURCES.

ALTERNATIVE ACTIONALTERNATIVE ACTION