Thai Union and Global Seafood Assurances will take the treatment of workers’ rights onboard set out in the Responsible Tuna Fishing standard (APR) of the Spanish tuna fishing fleet as an example to incorporate them in their social certification systems for fishing activities.
For this purpose, both organisations have signed a collaboration agreement with AENOR, which currently certifies the 380,000t of tuna captured by the 47 vessels grouped in the Organisation of Producers of Frozen Tuna (OPAGAC).
Julio Morón, managing director of OPAGAC, said: “It is undeniable that the question of workers’ rights in fishing is complex. As well as the difficulty of ensuring that existing laws are respected thousands of kilometres from dry land, many very diverse regulations and interests converge.
“Therefore, it is excellent news that more and more fleets make social and labour responsibility a pillar of our activity and, above all, we collaborate to promote our example in the protection of crews, our main asset, as well as the improvement on workers’ conditions in fishing fleets worldwide.”
Through this agreement, Thai Union, Global Seafood Assurances and AENOR will exchange knowledge and resources to improve their respective standards and thus guarantee optimum social and labour conditions for fishing fleet crews. The agreement, which will initially last for one year, is also open to the incorporation of other market actors interested in the development or improvement of their own certification strategies.
