illegal fishing

New report reveals abuse in the fishing industry

A new report by the Environmental Justice Foundation describes cases of slavery, debt bondage, insufficient food and water, filthy living conditions, physical and sexual assault and even murder on board fishing ships from 13 countries operating across three oceans.

To mitigate this problem, urgent ratification of international agreements aimed to improve workers’ rights, inspections and enforcement is needed, the report says. Full transparency in the industry is also vital to end the cycle of...

https://safety4sea.com/new-report-reveals-abuse-in-the-fishing-industry/

South Africa: Warnings over illegal fishing

While South African authorities used ‘to turn a blind eye to fishing’, the Department of Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) has now appointed inspectors who attend on vessels to check whether there is any illegal fish onboard, the West of England P&I Club informed citing information by the South Africa P&I Associates (Pty) Ltd.

It is not uncommon for seafarers, whilst at anchorage or in one of South African ports, to fish off the side of their vessel.

This practice is illegal unless the seafarer is in...

https://safety4sea.com/south-africa-warnings-over-illegal-fishing/

Improving transparency in regional fisheries management is urgent

During the International Day Against IUU fishing, June 5, five organizations launched a report outlining the minimum transparency and anti-IUU fishing measures deemed vital for Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (RFMOs). The recommendations span from the point of harvest (where identification and tracking of vessels activities are needed), through the landing, transportation and trade of fish products, including traceability systems along the value chain.

According to the report, it is...

https://safety4sea.com/improving-transparency-in-regional-fisheries-management-is-urgent/

Major retailers join charter to tackle illegal fishing

Marks & Spencer and Waitrose & Partners have signed the Environmental Justice Foundation’s Charter for Transparency. They now join the Co-op, Sainsbury’s and Tesco in making a pledge to make sure their seafood supply chains are free from illegal fishing and human rights abuse.

According to EJF, this is a significant step forward, as together these five companies represent the vast majority of grocery sales in the UK. In addition, the organization believes that supermarkets are a key part of...

https://safety4sea.com/major-retailers-join-charter-to-tackle-illegal-fishing/

Guidelines launched to assist in the risk of insuring vessels associated with illegal fishing

Oceana recently launched a set of guidelines to help insurers in controlling or mitigating the risk of insuring vessels and companies associated with illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. The guidelines were established together with UN Environment’s Principles for Sustainable Insurance Initiative.

This insurance industry statement on sustainable marine insurance, aims to tackle illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing through education, awareness building, risk management...

https://safety4sea.com/guidelines-launched-to-assist-in-the-risk-of-insuring-vessels-associated-with-illegal-fishing/

Indonesia sinks 51 seized boats to tackle illegal fishing

Indonesia sank 51 foreign fishing vessels as part of the government’s attempts to tackle illegal fishing. The seized ships were sunk on May 4, of which 38 were Vietnamese, 6 Malaysian, 2 Chinese, 1 Filipino, and the rest were foreign-owned ships flying the Indonesian flag.

Speaking about the occasion, Susi Pudjiastuti, the fisheries minister, noted that illegal fishing ships are threatening the local fishing industry. He explained that their operators are frequently perpetrators of modern day...

https://safety4sea.com/indonesia-sinks-51-seized-boats-to-tackle-illegal-fishing/

Watch: Vietnamese coast guard cutter collides with Indonesian navy ship

A video widely shared on social media reportedly shows a Vietnamese coast guard ship hitting an Indonesian navy ship Monday, after the navy intercepted a boat it says was fishing illegally in its waters.

According to international media, Indonesian authorities detained 12 Vietnamese fishermen from the vessel, which sank in Saturday’s clash, and they were held at a naval base ‘for further legal proceedings’, sources from Indonesian navy say, while two others were rescued by Vietnam’s coast guard.

T...

https://safety4sea.com/watch-vietnamese-coast-guard-cutter-collides-with-indonesian-navy-ship/

Watch: Maritime security in Gulf of Guinea

The video, issued by One Earth Future’s Stable Seas, looks at the criminal activities that have historically taken place in the Gulf of Guinea and the recent strides being made in combating those illegalities.

At the centre of efforts, the ‘Yaounde Code of Conduct’ brings together signatory nations from West and Central Africa with an intention to cooperate to the fullest possible extent in the repression of transnational organized crime in the maritime domain, maritime terrorism, illegal...

https://safety4sea.com/watch-maritime-security-in-gulf-of-guinea/

Sea Shepherd arrests the fifteenth illegal-fishing vessel

In a joint operation in partnership with the Liberian Ministry of National Defense to tackle illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing in the Republic of Liberia, West Africa, Sea Shepherd has assisted the Liberian Coast Guard with the arrest of a foreign-flagged purse seine fishing vessel with a criminal history of illegal fishing in Liberia. The vessel caught, Solevant, is the 15th arrest of an illegal-fishing vessel in the area.

Mainly, the fishing vessel (F/V) Solevant, a 55-meter...

https://safety4sea.com/sea-shepherd-arrests-the-fifteenth-illegal-fishing-vessel/

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