The Financial Times has published a Letter to the Editor by AoS Development Director John Green today. John writes about how the implementation of the International Labour Organization work in fishing convention (2007) can root out unacceptable working conditions for fishermen.
Improve fishermen’s working conditions
From John Green, London, UK
Sir, Your report ‘Vietnam warns fishing sector after EU threat’ (December 23) highlights the EU’s action to curb poor fishing practices in Southeast Asia.
Illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing affects not only fish stocks and the environment but also the just and fair employment of many of thousands of fishermen in the region.
Cases of severe physical maltreatment, employment abuses such as non-payment of wages and bonded labour have also been encountered by our port chaplains and other agencies supporting the crew working in the fishing sector.
Action by the EU, and in particular efforts to secure implementation of the International Labour Organization work in fishing convention (2007), will not only improve fish stock sustainability but also root out unacceptable working conditions for fishermen working in an industry that can be “out of sight, out of mind”.
John Green
Apostleship of the Sea
London SW1
UK
Published in the Financial Times on 29 December, 2017. www.FT.com
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