Tuna Vessels Using Forced Labor are Hiding Under MSC Ecolabel, New Research Finds

Oceana’s Philip Chou says, “No one should have to stomach a side of forced labor with their spicy tuna roll.”

WASHINGTON, Sept. 03, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- New research published today in Ocean Sustainability finds that the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), the world’s most recognized ecolabel for sustainable seafood, is failing to identify forced labor violations in the fisheries it certifies despite claims to the contrary.

“In a matter of minutes, I was able to find multiple cases of forced labor on vessels that are part of MSC-certified fisheries by comparing data from the vessel registries of all tuna Regional Fisheries Management Organizations against highly publicized lists of implicated vessels,” said report author Katrina Nakamura, PhD. “If it was this easy for me to find this information, it’s hard to believe MSC could be unaware of this problem.”

An estimated 128,000 fishers are trapped in forced labor aboard fishing vessels by businesses recruiting fishers for very low wages to work intensely in hazardous and remote conditions who then experience untended injuries, illness, unpaid or withheld wages, psychological, or physical abuse. Nakamura analyzed data from 3,313 tuna vessels listed on MSC’s website and found that 74% of MSC’s certified sustainable tuna was untraceable to vessel owners or fishing employers.

The MSC Standards rely on self-reported information by trade associations, manufacturers, and distributors rather than the vessel owners or employers, and the MSC does not screen vessels or companies against publicized lists of labor abuses. These Standards leave room for vessels associated with crimes such as human trafficking and forced labor to benefit and profit from the MSC ecolabel.

This loophole is especially problematic in relation to tuna fishing on the high seas, which is notorious for being one of the world’s most remote and dangerous jobs due to the limited visibility of onboard activities and difficulty in enforcing regulations at sea. Plus, the MSC allows certificate-holders to deny labor violations without providing any details of proof or prevention at the individual vessel level.

“Responsible shoppers around the world choose MSC-certified tuna, believing that the logo means their seafood meal was sustainably and responsibly caught,” said Oceana’s Senior Director of Global Policy Philip Chou. “No one should have to stomach a side of forced labor with their spicy tuna roll. MSC certification could drive real change to stop forced labor in the seafood industry. Unfortunately, it has failed to identify these egregious crimes and continues to profit off bad actors.”

The MSC has recognized concerns about forced labor and human rights abuses occurring in tandem with illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing in the tuna supply chain but tells consumers that “the best way for tuna buyers to significantly reduce exposure to the above risks is to choose MSC certified tuna.”

“This is clearly bad advice considering MSC clients include a company associated with a U.S. tuna ban for forced labor whose self-declaration states ‘no evidence of forced labor,’” added Nakamura. “The MSC should have a far more effective barrier for protecting vulnerable workers. They evidently choose not to do so. A more robust barrier would exclude all companies with any association to fisheries crime and include a firm rule that vessel owners be identified and screened against highly publicized lists of implicated vessels such as the Notice of Sanctions Actions published on the Federal Register of the United States.”

To help mitigate labor violations at sea, Oceana is calling on world governments to apply the Global Charter for Fisheries Transparency. The Charter pinpoints the most essential policy priorities needed to combat fisheries mismanagement, illegal fishing, and human rights abuses at sea, including collecting data on the conditions of fishing vessel crews and publishing it while keeping personally identifiable information private.

In the United States, Oceana is campaigning for immediate action to address illegal fishing, seafood fraud, and human rights abuses in the U.S. seafood supply chain. This includes expanding the Seafood Import Monitoring Program (SIMP) to cover all seafood (only 45% of imported seafood is currently covered) and all production standards, including forced labor.

To learn more about Oceana’s campaign to increase transparency at sea, visit oceana.org/campaign-page/increasing-transparency-at-sea/.

Oceana is the largest international advocacy organization dedicated solely to ocean conservation. Oceana is rebuilding abundant and biodiverse oceans by winning science-based policies in countries that control one-quarter of the world’s wild fish catch. With more than 300 victories that stop overfishing, habitat destruction, oil and plastic pollution, and the killing of threatened species like turtles, whales, and sharks, Oceana’s campaigns are delivering results. A restored ocean means that 1 billion people can enjoy a healthy seafood meal every day, forever. Together, we can save the oceans and help feed the world. VisitOceana.orgto learn more.  

Contact: Anna Baxter | email: abaxter@oceana.org