Tide of injustice: Exploitation and Illegal Fishing on Chinese Vessels in the Southwest Indian Ocean

The Chinese fishing fleet is responsible for systemic illegal fishing and human rights abuses in the Southwest Indian Ocean, undercutting China’s claims of supporting sustainable development and thriving blue economies in the region, according to a report and film by the Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF).
The investigation is based on interviews with crew working on Chinese vessels in the Southwest Indian Ocean and a wide range of secondary data sources, and is the first of its kind to examine China’s distant water fishing fleet in the region. Between 2017 and 2023, Chinese vessels were linked to 86 unique cases of illegal fishing or human rights abuses in the region. Of the 95 tuna longliners currently believed to be authorised to target tuna in the Southwest Indian Ocean, almost half are linked to cases of illegal fishing and/or human rights abuses.
Seafood linked to these vessels is potentially entering key international markets, including Europe, the US, Japan and South Korea; around 73% of the vessels suspected of human rights abuses and illegal fishing appear on the list of authorised exporters to the EU at time of writing.
This new investigation now shows that Chinese investment, far from benefitting these communities, directly and indirectly impacts the livelihoods of artisanal fishers through the illegal fishing perpetrated by China’s distant water fishing fleet.
To ensure that the region’s fragile marine ecosystems are preserved, and that human rights on board distant water fishing vessels are respected, the Chinese government must act now, to enforce its own laws and introduce critical transparency measures to eradicate these systemic abuses across its fleet. Southwest Indian Ocean nations should also adopt increased transparency and sustainability measures to protect their waters and the people who depend on them.
#illegalfishing #humanrights #environment
Read the full report here: ejfoundation.org/reports/tide...
The Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF) is an international NGO working to defend our shared natural environment and human rights: ejfoundation.org
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