August 12, 2024 — A U.K. NGO wants seafood sustainability certification programs to take better account of labor conditions within their standards.
Human Rights at Sea International Executive Director David Hammond said the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) and other eco-labeling programs need to do a better job of setting fair labor conditions before allowing the sustainability of any fishery, chain of custody, or seafood product.
December 17, 2020 — The Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) annual meeting ended on Tuesday, 15 December, and while the members were lauded for agreeing to a rollover of its vital tropical tuna measure, the commission failed to address the human rights and labor issues regarding observer and and crew safety the tuna-fishing sector.
Before its meeting, the WCPFC was lobbied by U.K. NGO Human Rights at Sea to adopt a CMM to address observer-related issues that include a lack of transparency in reporting of fisheries observer-related safety incidents, lack of availability of comprehensive employment contracts, and the need for the fisheries observers to access professional insurance provisions, among other recommendations.
December 1, 2020 — The Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) should consider a model measure dedicated to fisheries observers that ensures it complies with accepted international core human and labor rights standards, the U.K. NGO Human Rights at Sea recommended in its latest report.
The proposed model measure was submitted to WCPFC Secretariat for consideration in the upcoming virtual meeting of members, taking place early next month.
July 27, 2020 — The non-governmental organization Human Rights At Sea earlier this month published a report with numerous recommendations to better protect fisheries observers who monitor fish catches by tuna vessels in the Pacific.
The report, Fisheries Observer Deaths at Sea, Human Rights and the Role and Responsibilities of Fisheries Organisations, highlights “the often challenging and solitary working conditions for observers who are away at sea without any immediate physical support,” according to the group – a registered charity in England and Wales that promotes the development and enforcement of human rights at sea.