The Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF) has launched its report ‘Sold to the Sea’ in Madrid, Spain.
The launch was hosted by the Spanish Secretary General of the Sea, Carlos Dominguez, who welcomed the report and called for all stakeholders in the fisheries sector to work together to address human trafficking and human rights abuses on fishing boats. Spain was chosen as a platform to present the report, because as a fishing nation it has a unique understanding of this sector, and the dangers faced by workers, said the EJF.
Sold to the Sea: Human Trafficking in Thailand's Fishing Industry exposes severe human rights abuses associated with human trafficking in Thailand's fishing industry.
In presenting the report, EJF campaigner Andy Hickman, said the organisation had evidence of fisheries products from boats involved in human trafficking entering the EU market and welcomed Spanish leadership to highlight this issue.
Jose Manuel Trujillo, President of the Fisheries Section of the European Transport Workers Federation (ETF), said the International Labour Organization Working in Fishing Convention (Convention No. 188) was important in stopping human trafficking and slavery on fishing vessels. He called on Spain to show leadership by ratifying the Work in Fishing Convention as soon as possible.
Following the press conference in Madrid, EJF renewed its call for the international community to take action to bring an end to the devastating practice of human trafficking in the fishing industry.
