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Fisheries

Fighting for a fair future and justice for all fishers.

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

  • RAISING INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS

  • ORGANISING FISHERS 

  • SUPPLY CHAIN ACCOUNTABILITY

  • HUMAN & LABOUR RIGHTS

  • SUSTAINABILITY

CONTACT US

Email

WHAT WE DO

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.

WHERE WE FOCUS

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.
ON THE GROUND
On the ground
The latest news on the issues affecting us all, and the actions we’re taking to improve our workers' lives and futures.
We're driving change
Explore Resources
Resources

A one way ticket to labour exploitation

Transit visas are the starting point for the labour abuse of migrant workers working in the UK fishing industry. This type of visa is intended to allow seafarers from other countries to board ships in
OUR PEOPLE

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

 

SECTION COORDINATOR

Rossen Karavatchev

 

FISHERIES EXPERTS

Chris Williams

Michael O'Brien

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SECTION COMMITTEE

Johnny Hansen

NSU
,
Norway
Chair

Kenji Takahashi

JSU
,
Japan
1st Vice Chair

Angel Juan Navarro

SOMU
,
Argentina
2nd Vice Chair

Sylvie Roux

CFDT
,
France
Fisheries

Jorge Alejandro Vargas

SOMU
,
Argentina
Vice Chair (Youth)
AFRICA

Barthelemy Yao Kouassi

SYMAPECI
,
Côte d'Ivoire
Chair

Daniel Koranteng

MDU
,
Ghana
Vice Chair

Vacant

Vice Chair
ARAB WORLD

Vacant

Chair
ASIA/PACIFIC

Kenji Takahashi

JSU
,
Japan
Chair

Tae Kil Chung

FKSU
,
Korea
Vice Chair

Genta Sumarlan

KPI
,
Indonesia
Vice Chair

Vacant

Vice Chair

Ashiqul Alam Chowdhury

BNSF
,
Bangladesh
Member
EUROPE (ETF FISHERIES SECTION)

Juan Manuel Trujillo

CC.OO
,
Spain
Chair

Vacant

Regional 1st Vice Chair

Vacant

Regional 2nd Vice Chair

Sylvie Roux

CFDT
,
France
Fisheries

Árni Bjarnason

FFSÍ
,
Iceland
Member

Karsten Kristensen

3F
,
Denmark
Member

Ludovic Peuch

FGTE-CFDT
,
France
Member

José Blanco

FESMC-UGT
,
Spain
Member
Latin America/ Caribbean

Angel Juan Navarro

SOMU
,
Argentina
Chair

Eric Alberto Riffo Paz

SIOMOT
,
Chile
Vice Chair

Vacant

Vice Chair

Vacant

Vice Chair

Hernan Valera

CJOMN
,
Argentina
Vice Chair (Youth)
North America

Vacant

Chair
OUR AFFILIATES

The ITF Fisheries Section has 91 affiliated unions from 59 countries representing 146,000 fishers worldwide.