A recent investigation by Shark Guardian has revealed that Fong Chun Formosa (FCF), one of the world’s largest canned tuna suppliers, is failing to address serious environmental and human rights violations within its supply chain.
Despite significant revenue and a fleet of over 500 vessels, FCF’s commitments to sustainability and ethical practices appear to be empty promises, says the charity.
Shark Guardian’s ‘Empty Promises, Empty Oceans’ report highlights a concerning gap between FCF’s publicly stated goals and the reality on the ground, where abuses such as forced labour, physical violence and exploitation of vulnerable workers have been documented. Notably, a 2019 incident involved the tragic death of a fisherman associated with FCF’s vessels.
“FCF is such a huge supplier of tuna that its policies impact fishing and fisheries everywhere and while they say the right thing, our report reveals a serious disparity between the tuna giant’s published ambitions and its actions,” said Shark Guardian’s marine wildlife campaigner Alex Hofford.
While FCF claims that 100% of its tuna is traceable, the complex nature of its supply chain and lack of transparency hinder independent verification of these claims, says the report .
Furthermore, fisheries improvement projects aimed at addressing these issues have repeatedly been granted extensions, delaying much needed action.
“The delaying tactics, lack of progress and lack of transparency reflect a lack of real commitment to sustainable tuna fishing by FCF and the FIPs,” continued Hofford.
Shark Guardian is urging FCF to take immediate action to ensure compliance with global standards for human rights and environmental protection, stressing that the time for accountability is now.
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