Overfishing, piracy, slavery all linked in Thailand

NGO highlights serious failings.

EJF: Overfishing, piracy, slavery all linked in Thailand

Neil Ramsden

International demand for cheap seafood is fueling trade in people, and the collapse of marine ecosystems, according to the Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF).

As such, overfishing, pirate fishing and people trafficking/slavery must be addressed as interconnected issues, said the NGO, which has investigated Thailand’s labor issues since 2013. Its new report examines how overfishing and IUU (illegal, unreported and unregulated) fishing have caused ecosystem decline in Thailand’s waters, generating pressures leading to the widespread use of slavery throughout the Thai fishing industry.

“Producers and consumers of Thai seafood are embroiled in one of the most outrageous social and ecological crimes of the 21st century. Ecosystem decline and slavery exist in a vicious cycle,” said EJF executive director Steve Trent.

To continue reading, please click here.

Source: undercurrentnews.com

Previous Article
Next Article

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *