IN BRIEF - 22.5% of European commercial fishing vessels accused of using forced labor
EUROPEAN UNION
Monday, February 12, 2024
Europe is second only to Asia, whose companies, especially those from China, own nearly two-thirds of the ships involved in forced labor. An estimated 128,000 fishermen suffer horrific abuses as a result of forced labor on board fishing vessels every year, a figure that likely significantly underestimates the full scale of this crisis.
According to the International Labor Organization (ILO), abuses include physical violence, non-payment of wages and being required to spend more time in the workplace than allowed.
According to a recent report, 22.5% of commercial fishing vessels accused of forced labor are owned by European companies, led by Spain and the UK.
Most European countries - along with other fishing superpowers such as China, Indonesia and the US - have yet to ratify key treaties prohibiting forced labor on fishing vessels, such as ILO Labor Convention 188, while the relevant EU directive applies only to EU-flagged vessels or vessels operating in EU waters.
Even if countries comply with the ILO Convention and other key agreements, financial secrecy means that the ultimate owners of accused ships can continue to evade justice.
Crucially, ratification of these agreements will result in the proceeds of forced labor courts being consistent with the proceeds of crime under money laundering laws, making prosecution easier.
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According to a recent report, 22.5% of commercial fishing vessels accused of forced labor are owned by European companies, led by Spain and the UK.
NIGERIA
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SINGAPORE
INDONESIA
WORLDWIDE
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CHINA
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BELGIUM
Joan Simonet, the Regional Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries, and the Natural Environment, has welcomed the European Commission's consideration of changes to the Multiannual Plan for Demersal Fisheries in the Western Mediterranean. The proposed changes aim to increase the number of fishing days allowed for trawlers, without having quotas constrained by the status of the most vulnerable species. This was one of the key demands jointly presented to the European Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans, Costas Kadis, last May by Spain's five Mediterranean autonomous communities, according to a statement from the Regional Ministry.
PERU
Peru's Ministry of Production (Produce) has launched the "Sea of ??Opportunities 2026-2027" campaign, as part of the Roadmap for the Reactivation of Fisheries and Aquaculture. The campaign aims to inform the public about species whose availability has temporarily increased along the Peruvian coast due to oceanographic changes associated with the El Niño phenomenon. Developed using scientific information from the Peruvian Marine Institute (Imarpe), the initiative seeks to guide fishermen, distributors, restaurants, and consumers on new fishing alternatives, contributing to diversifying the product offerings and reducing pressure on species whose availability has decreased.The Minister of Production, Juan Carlos Requejo, explains that "El Niño is temporarily modifying the conditions of our sea and the presence of different species.
UNITED STATES
US firm wants seat at the table as it expands from Chile into Norway and Scotland
PORTUGAL
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