Human Rights at Sea has published a commissioned report undertaken by the charity’s not-for-profit trading consultancy Human Rights at Sea International Ltd, which is a comparative independent assessment of the potential risks to the welfare and human rights of fishermen operating within the Ascension Island Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) on board foreign flagged tuna longline vessels.
On the occasion of the World Fisheries Day, the FAO and the Holy See again joined forces to host a successful event focusing international attention on the fair treatment and well-being of fishing people around the world.
A new technical co-operation project aims at developing investment strategies for fishing communities affected by migration. Fisheries communities in the Mediterranean face various pressures, including limitations in fisheries governance, climate change and urban development, often exacerbated by poverty. Migration in the Mediterranean region has sharply increased in recent years, particularly among communities facing high levels of unemployment.
Human Rights at Sea has published a new case study exploring the issue of Philippine manning agencies supplying Non-EEA crew to the UK fishing industry and the issues this raises in terms of transparency of practice, due diligence to assure welfare safeguards for crew, and the necessary safeguards required to ensure decent work conditions.
UK-based Human Rights at Sea (HRAS) and the Botswana-based NGO Stop Illegal Fishing (SIF) have entered into a mutually supporting collaborative partnership to continue to maintain and raise the global narrative on illegal fishing activities which include promoting human rights protections against abuses of crew.
Thai Union Group participated in the second annual Bali Process Government and Business Forum held in line with the Bali Process on People Smuggling, Trafficking in Persons and Related Transnational Crime, co-chaired by Indonesia and Australia on 6-7 August 2018 in Bali.
Thai Union Group has announced its support for new regulation from the Thai government requiring Thai vessel owners operating outside of national waters to provide a satellite communication system and device on board for workers at sea.
According to the Taiwanese Fisheries Agency, the recent claims made by the Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF) regarding treatment of crews contain numerous inaccuracies, including that a number of the examples cited refer to vessels under other flags, over which Taiwan does not have jurisdiction.
Forced labour and other abuses remain widespread in the Thai fishing industry, with promised reforms falling short of addressing the concerns of the EU and the US, according to a report by Human Rights Watch that was made public at a briefing in the European Parliament his week.
Thai Union and Mars Petcare have detailed how an innovative digital traceability pilot programme in Thailand, implemented by the two companies alongside a coalition of industry and government groups, has helped to boost human rights in the seafood industry.