Announcement of the Department of Fisheries determining rules and procedures for return to the applicable designated port on a regular basis.

These Rules, issued by the Director-General of the Department of Fisheries under paragraph (5) of section 81 of the Fisheries Ordinance of 2015, requires licensees of commercial fishing vessels with a gross tonnage of thirty gross tons or more fishing in the Indian Ocean in areas managed by the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC) under the South Indian Ocean Fisheries Agreement (SIOFA) to regularly return to the home port in Thailand. This requirement seeks to prevent IUU fishing and to make Thai fishing vessels compliant with international obligations. Vessels shall return at least every thirty days and if they are hindered in doing so shall notify the Director-General of Fisheries within 24 hours from an occurrence that causes the delay. No fish may be transshipped on the return trip.