March 23, 2021 — A new report on labor abuses in the tuna-fishing industry points to “sustained abuse of workers” aboard vessels.
The report by the United Kingdom-based Business & Human Rights Resource Centre (BHRRC), “All at sea: An evaluation of company efforts to address modern slavery in Pacific supply chains of canned tuna,” found labor abuse issues were worsening as a result of increased demand for tuna during the global COVID-19 crisis, which has forced vessels to stay at sea for longer intervals.