| Abstract: |
Nonprofit seafood sustainability consultancy FishWise has released a report providing suggestions for ways seafood companies can improve vessel monitoring and transparency. The report, “Open Water: Guidance on Vessel Transparency for Seafood Companies,” recommends companies obtain an International Maritime Organization (IMO) number for each fishing vessel, be proactive in transferring data to public vessel lists, and support the implementation of international agreements related to illegal fishing, improving vessel safety and standards, and protecting workers. The report was issued in response to growing concern for the treatment of fishing crews on the high seas, including from U.S. government agencies, FishWise CEO Tobias Aguirre said in a press release.“In order to safeguard human rights and reduce illegal activity at sea, companies – along with NGOs and governments – must commit to initiatives which improve vessel monitoring and transparency,” Aguirre said. Improving vessel monitoring and transparency is an important step towards reducing illegal activities in the fishing industry, including human rights abuses, seafood fraud, document forgery, bribery, and money laundering. Crimes that take place on the high seas are beyond the jurisdiction of national governments, and therefore are subject to very little oversight, Aguirre said. |
