Page 41 - IB December 2022

Fisheries

Continued from page 22 sample of fisher folks working for DWFN vessels) provided a
rather disturbing picture of their employment conditions, and
in the hold, as well as lifting heavy equipment, are assigned their health and safety. It appears that in the fishing industry,
to the iTaukei workers. The transfer of crews in the open sea the fish workers are less important than the fish they catch!
from one ship to another is also dangerous as workers swim or In a December 2020 presentation to the UNOHCHR, Dr Kailo-
use life rafts or tubes to do so. la pointed out that none of the Pacific Island countries (PICs)
Deck hands are especially under pressure while baiting the and Pacific rim countries are signatories of ILO’s CL188. She
branch lines, and when schools of tuna are feeding. Only 10- mentioned that: “The ILO’s C188 ‘Work in Fishing Convention
15 minutes’ break is allowed for meals. The food provided is 2007’ has been developed for that; and to date, none of the
not of good quality. The ships are infested with cockroaches 15+3 signatories are neither PICs nor Pacific Rim countries;
and rats. The Fijian workers are compelled to drink water essentially then there is NO PROTECTION for men on fishing
from uncleaned rusty water tanks while the captain and other vessels working as deckhands in the world’s most valuable
select crew drink bottled water. They also have fresh vegeta- tuna fishery” (her emphasis).
bles and fruits denied to the deck hands. Only if one of these Very belatedly (2019) the Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) has
workers gets sick then he may receive bottled water and fresh revised its Harmonised Monitoring Terms and Conditions which
fruits. The sick person is given whatever medicine is available provides minimum standards relative to fishing vessel safety
but there is a general reluctance to transfer the person to and conditions of employment of crew members.
shore, even when their ailment is most serious. Fiji and other Pacific coastal states have thus far not acted
In a Maritime Governance webinar in October 2021, Dr Kai- on enforcing these minimum standards nor have they negoti-
lola stated that: “Working conditions for lower-level crew on ated with flag States of these fishing vessels and owners about
fishing vessels are generally (but not always) poor, smacking of compliance to these minimum standards or ILO’s CL188.
forced labour and human trafficking. Often no work contracts,
very low wages (‘the captain decides’) but US$11-14/day is editor@islandsbusiness.com
common; no payment for overtime (which is often half of
each day’s work), no medical checks, no accident insurance,
no seafaring certificates (an IMO requirement), no checking
of documents, working hours averaging 14-18/day, usually 1 See Siteri Sauvakacolo, “We have lost hope, fishermen tell”, Fiji Times,7 May
poor food and accommodation, sometimes having to bathe in 2022
4
seawater, and sometimes limited drinking water.” 2 She is a fisheries scientist by training, and in recent years has been working
The talanoa with the Fish workers appear to confirm this towards improving the working conditions of Pacific fish workers who work for
Distant Water Fishing Nations’ (DWFN) vessels. After working with the NGO
observation. Pacific Dialogue, she helped establish the Human Dignity Group in 2020.
When asked why they continued to work as fishermen given 3 It must be said that the workers did mention a Chinese company, the ‘Zhong
the unsatisfactory working conditions and pay, one of them Shui’ which paid wages in a timely manner, and had ships that provided better
said, ‘I enjoy fishing and being at sea. It is in my blood!’ The employment conditions. In sharp contrast, another Chinese company called
‘Hangton Pacific Company PTE Limited’ had the very unsatisfactory conditions
others concurred. and rarely paid wages in time.
However, they were aware of short-term seasonal employ- 4 Patricia Kailola, 2021, ‘The role of maritime governance in providing a fair
ment in Australia and New Zealand, and they were prepared deal to blue economy offshore fisheries’ workers of small island States’. Con-
necting maritime governance with the development of the blue economy in
to explore the possibilities of engaging in this work. archipelagic and island States.
Archipelagic & Island States Forum, Maritime Governance Series Webinar - 26
October 2021
Conclusion
The conversation with the six fish workers (which is a small 5 Patricia Kailola, UNOHCHR Pacific Forum on business and human rights,
December 2020

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Islands Business, December 2022 41