Government welcomes report on Thai fishers’ abuse

SPAIN
Thursday, June 13, 2013, 02:10 (GMT + 9)

The head of the Secretariat General of Fisheries of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Environment (Magrama), Carlos Dominguez, launched the report Sold to the Sea, in which the Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF) denounces abuses to workers in the fishing industry in Thailand.

The report, presented by the representative of the NGO, Andrew Hickman, gathers the results of an investigation and makes reference to the case of about 15 sailors who were rescued after being forced to work on ships for months. These crew members reported that they had been paid very little for their work, and they had been beaten and threatened.

The Spanish secretary supported the complaints about these practices and the defense of workers’ basic rights covered by the Convention 188 of the International Labour Organization (ILO), regardless of geographic location.

That, he said, "would allow the maintenance of the same rules of the game, both in the capture sector and in production and marketing of fishery products in all the countries, and avoid the unfair competition and the entry of goods into the markets from irregular situations."

Dominguez stressed that the document "reflects what the Secretariat General of Fisheries, the fishing industry and the social partners have been denouncing, so that the European Commission (EC) can take these proceedings into account, which express nothing in favor of those who support them."

In this regard, the Secretary General stressed that the EJF "presents not only complaints but also struggle against irregularities," reported Magrama.

The presentation of the report was attended by Joaquín Nieto, director of the ILO Office for Spain; Juan Manuel Trujillo, of the Ministry of Fisheries of the CCOO; and Javier Garat, president of the Association of National Organisations of Fishing Enterprises in the European Union (Europêche).

This new document revives the claims made by the National Association of Manufacturers of Canned Fish and Shellfish (Anfaco-Cecopesca) and of the Spanish Government in the negotiations between the European Union (EU) and Thailand for a trade agreement in which fish products such as canned tuna are excluded.

"At present" the situation is not suitable for those shipments to make access into the European market, competing on equal basis, Dominguez added.

"Spain wants all the countries to comply with the same rules of the game," highlighted the official, the newspaper Faro de Vigo reported.

Currently, Thailand has a fleet exceeding 12,000 ships, leading the international trade of canned fishing products and in 2012 it sold to the EU 820 million kilograms of fish products for EUR 173 million.

Garat insists it is "very difficult to compete with slavery," which allows Thai fish production to have "much lower" costs than the European ones and to trade at "ridiculous" prices, the agency EFE reported.

Last month, several organizations of the canning industry of Spain, Portugal and the Azores expressed their "deep concern" about the Free Trade Agreement between the EU and Thailand, which the two parties have been negotiating since early March.

The canners have warned that the negotiations will finish with the settlement of the Agreement that could have a strong negative impact on "competitiveness and future viability of the canning seafood industry from both countries and the rest of the European community."

Related articles:

- Report reveals widespread human trafficking on Thai fishing boats
- The Spanish and Portuguese request canned tuna exclusion from FTA with Thailand

By Analia Murias
[email protected]
www.seafood.media

Print