Fisheries
The ITF represents fishers to advance our rights, safety and working conditions. We work to create a fairer, safer, and more sustainable future for fishers globally. We do this through organising fishers and building union capacity, strategic campaigning and collective bargaining, and holding governments, employers and companies along seafood supply chains accountable for the safety, pay and labour standards of all fishers involved in catching their products.
ISSUES
Fishers and our oceans are under greater pressure than ever before, and fishing is one of the most exploitative industries in the world. Overwork, low pay, and unsafe working conditions are rife throughout the industry, and forced labour or slavery at sea is still commonplace. Seafood companies continue to prioritise profit above all, leading a race to the bottom and exacerbating conditions that are devastating for our oceans and many fishers.
OUR PRIORITIES
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RAISING INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS
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ORGANISING FISHERS
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SUPPLY CHAIN ACCOUNTABILITY
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HUMAN & LABOUR RIGHTS
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SUSTAINABILITY
CONTACT US
The ITF Fisheries Section works to eliminate labour rights abuse and exploitation through organising, collective bargaining, collective action, and solidarity with fishers globally. The ITF Fisheries Section consists of 91 affiliated unions in 59 countries, representing over 146,000 members.
Our vision is a world where fishers everywhere can:
- Legally exercise our right to freedom of association and collective bargaining.
- Receive living wages and benefits for the dangerous and difficult work we do.
- Work in safe conditions.
- Are fully protected from labour rights abuses.
- Access effective grievance procedures and legal remedies.
Our goal is to raise standards in the fishing industry and stop the race to the bottom that exploits fishers, and damages our oceans and fish stocks. It is time for fishers to share equally in the massive that global seafood companies make off of our labour.
We work on several fronts to achieve our vision by:
- Supporting our affiliates.
- Activating and supporting organising programmes.
- Strategic campaigning across seafood supply chains.
- Developing, promoting and implementing national, regional and global collective bargaining and policy initiatives.
- Campaigning for countries to adopt and enforce the ILO Work in Fishing Convention 188 (C188)..
- Working with regulatory bodies to ensure decent work for fishers.
Our objectives across all of our work include:
- Developing and promoting global standards for the fisheries industry.
- Supporting fishers to form unions and build power.
- Promoting good working conditions and health and safety on board fishing vessels.
- Providing a platform for its fishers’ unions to connect and learn from each other.
- Building political or industrial leverage to advance fishers’ rights.
- Supporting collective bargaining in the workplace.
Marine Stewardship Council certification fails to protect fishers from forced labour
UK ‘Fishery Improvement Project’ tainted by forced labour abuses, human trafficking
Transport union federations urge EU states to go further, faster on supply chain due diligence
ITF-FRN Thailand National Fisher Condition Survey Results
Documento informativo de la ITF: La pesca en la Milla 201
A one way ticket to labour exploitation
The ITF Fisheries Section Committee works democratically to decide the issues we focus on. The Committee brings together affiliated unions from all regions, as well as women and young workers representatives. We fight to achieve global justice for fishers through global solidarity, by building regional and global connections, and by engaging with governments, employers, other global and national trade unions, civil society and environmental organisations.
Contact us |
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SECTION COORDINATOR Rossen Karavatchev |
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FISHERIES EXPERTS Chris Williams Michael O'Brien |
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Johnny Hansen
Kenji Takahashi
Angel Juan Navarro
Sylvie Roux
Jorge Alejandro Vargas
Barthelemy Yao Kouassi
Daniel Koranteng
Vacant
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Kenji Takahashi
Tae Kil Chung
Genta Sumarlan
Vacant
Ashiqul Alam Chowdhury
Juan Manuel Trujillo
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Sylvie Roux
Árni Bjarnason
Karsten Kristensen
Ludovic Peuch
José Blanco
Angel Juan Navarro
Eric Alberto Riffo Paz
Vacant
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Hernan Valera
Vacant
The ITF Fisheries Section has 91 affiliated unions from 59 countries representing 146,000 fishers worldwide.