The state of labor conditions in the Fijian longliner fleet has come under closer scrutiny following the issuance of a withhold-release order by U.S. Customs and Border Protection in August.
The Hangton No. 112, owned and operated by Suva, Fiji-based Hangton Pacific Co., was hit with the order on 4 August, with the CBP citing the presence of three of the International Labor Organization’s 11 indicators of forced labor during an investigation of the vessel’s operations: withholding of wages, debt bondage, and retention of identity documents. CBP’s order requires all U.S. agencies to detain products harvested by the vessel, effectively prohibiting the company from exporting any seafood caught by the Hangton No. 112 into the United States.
Hangton Pacific General Manager Jitendra K. Mohan said his company has been exporting to the U.S. for more than two decades, and that the order has already had a negative impact.
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https://www.seafoodsource.com/news/environment-sustainability/us-action-shines-spotlight-on-labor-issues-in-fijian-fishing-fleet