Seafood Industry Exposed: Urgent Calls for Action as Forced Labor Crisis Surfaces
Forced labor in the seafood industry has emerged as a widespread human rights crisis, sparking urgent calls for action. A recent report sheds light on the alarming prevalence of forced labor and abuse within this industry, particularly on Thai vessels that export their catch to the United States. The Associated Press first uncovered this issue in 2015, highlighting the plight of migrant workers from Myanmar, Cambodia, and Laos who faced exploitation and abuse.
The scale of the problem is staggering, with as many as 128,000 fishers worldwide facing threats of violence, excessive overtime, debt bondage, and other conditions synonymous with forced labor, according to the U.N.’s International Labor Organization. The crisis is not limited to a single region but extends across borders, affecting numerous countries and their seafood supply chains.
Pressure is mounting on U.S. and European companies to address worker abuse within their supply chains. The Financial Action Task Force, initiated by the Group of Seven wealthiest democracies, recognizes illegal logging and mining as significant drivers of money laundering and encourages member nations to establish publicly available databases to expose the financial aspects of environmental crimes. However, the seafood industry has largely escaped such scrutiny due to the difficulty of regulating activities that occur far out at sea.
In this context, the decision of President Joe Biden’s administration to abandon the planned expansion of the Seafood Import Monitoring Program is deeply concerning. This program, which plays a crucial role in preventing illegal fishing and forced labor on foreign vessels, currently covers only 1,100 species. With foreign vessels supplying approximately 80% of the seafood consumed in the United States, it is alarming to witness a scaling back of efforts to combat this pervasive issue.
Beth Lowell, the vice president of the conservation group Oceana, voiced her dissatisfaction with the current situation, stating, We are once again seeing the heartbreaking reality of what is happening on some commercial fishing vessels out at sea, and it’s completely unacceptable. Lowell firmly believes that forced labor and other human rights abuses should not be the price paid for a seafood dinner.
Transparency remains a significant obstacle in addressing this crisis. Offending vessels are often licensed in countries like Panama and Belize, known for their financial secrecy and limited oversight. The Financial Transparency Coalition found that 18% of suspected abusive vessels belong to companies that fly flags of convenience, allowing them to avoid scrutiny and conceal their shareholders’ identities.
The report identifies two Chinese companies, ZheJiang Hairong Ocean Fisheries Co. and Pingtan Marine Enterprises, as the worst offenders. Between them, they have a total of 17 vessels accused of human rights violations. China National Fisheries Corp., a state-owned company, owns an additional five vessels involved in these abuses. None of the companies have responded to requests for comment regarding these allegations.
With limited information available on ownership and flags of convenience being exploited, it is clear that greater transparency and oversight are crucial. The Financial Transparency Coalition, after thorough research involving government reports, media accounts, and complaints by advocacy groups, compiled a list of 475 vessels suspected of forced labor since 2010. However, data on flags of these vessels was only available for around half of this total, underscoring the need for enhanced ownership transparency.
As this forced labor crisis within the seafood industry gains global attention, urgent action must be taken. Governments, companies, and international bodies must collaborate to regulate and monitor supply chains effectively. It is imperative to protect the rights and well-being of workers, ensuring that seafood dinners are not tainted by the unacceptable cost of forced labor. Only through transparency, accountability, and concerted efforts can the seafood industry overcome this pervasive human rights crisis.
