September 14, 2016 — Whole Foods has suspended buying fish from the Hawaii fish auction amid concerns over the labor practices of some fishing vessels.
It’s an issue Always Investigating first reported on back in 2013 and is now getting national attention.
Fishermen describe horrid working conditions, rock bottom pay, and even allegations of international crew captivity aboard some of the boats that dock at Honolulu Harbor.
Industry watchers say the Whole Foods move could be just the first of many, and the fish auction is already working on a system to weed out vessels with unfair labor practices.
Telling Always Investigating they have “zero tolerance for human rights abuses,” Whole Foods said Tuesday: “We have suspended purchases of the small amount of fish we source from the Hawaiian seafood auction until we can ensure the working conditions on these boats align with our core values.”
Whole Foods may call it “small,” but it’s a big deal down on the docks.
“We’d hate to lose such a prominent customer as Whole Foods,” said United Fishing Agency’s auction manager Michael Goto. “To rekindle that relationship, to get them back on board saying we respect the Hawaii fleet enough that we can bring their product back into our stores and sell it to our customers with confidence, that’s our goal.”
Sources say other major retailers are weighing the same move.
“We hope that Whole Foods’ action to directly address the labor abuses will start a domino effect,” said Kathryn Xian of the Pacific Alliance to Stop Slavery.