Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Susi Pudjiastuti has called for a coordinated international approach to fight human trafficking in the fishing industry
aritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Susi Pudjiastuti has called for a coordinated international approach to fight human trafficking in the fishing industry.
“It needs all countries to work together. It needs African countries, it needs all of Southeast Asia [and] South America,” she said on Tuesday.
The call to arms was also extended further afield to America and the European Union, where much of the illegally obtained produce is sold.
Susi was speaking at the launch of a report on human trafficking in Indonesia’s fishing industry, which was released by the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
The report exposes a global human trafficking network, where workers face gross human rights violations and even death aboard unlicensed fishing trawlers.
Workers typically originate from Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos and Indonesia.
“This has brought to light the need to more closely investigate the supply chains,” said Mark Getchell, the chief of IOM’s Jakarta Mission.
Disciplinary action has been taken in some instances, he said, citing the EU’s threatened ban on Thai seafood exports in June 2016.
EU nations contributed researchers to the reporting team, which drew analysts from France, Greece, Australia and Indonesia.
Peter Muntro, the report’s lead researcher and Australian maritime security specialist, said that the bulk of the writers and researchers were Indonesians.
“It was a chance for them to develop their expertise and their analytical skills.”
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