The National Atmospheric and Oceanic Administration launched a new public-private initiative to support safe and legal working conditions in the fishing and seafood industries and fight against forced labor.
Stakeholders gathered at a collaborative summit—A Call to Action: Ending Forced Labor and Promoting Decent Work in the Seafood Sector—to start the initiative, known as the Collaborative Accelerator for Lawful Maritime Conditions in Seafood (CALM-CS), according to a NOAA release on July 19.
“By coming together to address illegal labor practices, we can have a positive impact on seafood industry workers and families around the world and help ensure the stability of the broader seafood supply chain,” Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo said, according to the release.
For the victims and their families, illegal and cruel working circumstances, such as forced labor, are devastating in the fisheries industry. They also contribute to the destruction of fisheries and larger marine ecosystems, as well as supply networks and maritime security, the release reported.
President Biden reaffirmed the commitment of the U.S. government to combat labor abuses in the seafood industry in a recent National Security Memorandum on Combating Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing and Associated Labor Abuses, according to the release.
Biden urged organizations to work more closely together with non-governmental organizations to create all-encompassing strategies to address these issues. CALM-CS is the response to this call, the release reported.
