{"id":1379,"date":"2018-05-24T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2018-05-24T08:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/master.k8s.p4.greenpeace.org\/eastasia\/aboutus\/1379\/taiwanese-seafood-giant-linked-to-human-rights-violations-greenpeace-2\/"},"modified":"2019-11-20T01:28:33","modified_gmt":"2019-11-20T09:28:33","slug":"taiwanese-seafood-giant-linked-to-human-rights-violations-greenpeace-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/eastasia\/press\/1379\/taiwanese-seafood-giant-linked-to-human-rights-violations-greenpeace-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Taiwanese seafood giant linked to human rights violations – Greenpeace"},"content":{"rendered":"
Taipei, 24 May 2018 \u2013 New evidence released today links human rights abuses to Taiwan\u2019s international fishing fleet, including major seafood trader Fong Chun Formosa Fishery Company (FCF). This has serious implications for its global supply chains, and exposes the ongoing failure of the Taiwan government\u2019s approach to address human trafficking and labor abuse.<\/p>\n

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\u201cConducted over the course of more than a year, our investigations show that Taiwan\u2019s fishery supply chain is still tainted by human rights abuses, despite the <\/span>law change<\/a> in early 2017 to protect migrant fishers on Taiwanese vessels,\u201d said Yi Chiao Lee, Global Investigation Lead for the report at Greenpeace East Asia.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\u201cThis means there is high probability that tainted seafood is making its way into sushi shops and dinner plates in Asia, Europe and the Americas. There are no excuses. Taiwan\u2019s seafood industry must now act urgently to eliminate these appalling practices.\u201d<\/div>\n
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In the Greenpeace East Asia report, Misery at Sea, investigators from Taiwan and New Zealand found five members of the convicted human trafficking ring, Giant Ocean, living openly in Taiwan. Despite being considered fugitives, at least some of the individual members continue to be involved in the recruitment of migrant workers \u2013 predominantly from South East Asia \u2013 for Taiwanese fishing vessels, with the full knowledge and negligence of Taiwanese authorities<\/a>.<\/div>\n
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In evidence provided by local Taiwanese labor rights group, Yilan Migrant Fishermen Union, shocking new photo and video material was uncovered relating to the death of Indonesian fisherman Supriyanto. A healthy and relatively young man, Supriyanto, died in agony just four months after starting work on the Taiwanese vessel, Fu Tsz Chiun. The harrowing images show Supriyanto had been beaten and abused, yet Taiwanese authorities failed to properly investigate his death and there was no prosecution but unconvincing conclusion<\/a>. Despite his deteriorating condition, satellite data<\/a> reveals that Fu Tsz Chiun continued with its business operations, including in the days immediately following his death. Taiwan\u2019s Fisheries Agency claims he simply died from sickness.<\/div>\n
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In another investigation, prison-based interviews shine a new light on the 2016 murder of the Captain of the Vanuatu flagged Taiwanese owned vessel, Tunago No. 61. Speaking with the six convicted crew members, Greenpeace investigators learnt that in the days and months leading up to the Captain\u2019s murder, the crew were frequently forced to work 20 hours a day and seven days a week, faced repeated physical violence and verbal abuse, sleep deprivation, a lack of adequate sustenance, discrimination, and were scared for their lives.<\/div>\n
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Misery at Sea analyses Taiwan\u2019s low-cost business model and chronic flaws in legal and regulatory framework, which helps create an environment where cases of IUU fishing, human rights violations and labor abuse are all too common.<\/div>\n
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In 2015, Taiwan was given an EU \u201cyellow card\u201d warning for its insufficient cooperation in combating illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, which defy international standards. In September, EU officials will review Taiwan\u2019s status and decide whether to lift the warning[1].<\/div>\n
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The report also looks into the role of FCF, which is one of the world\u2019s big three traders, and has strong links to markets in Japan[2], Americas and Europe<\/a>. FCF were implicated in two of the three cases, contradicting its corporate social responsibility<\/a>, which states that it prohibits child labor, forced labor and other abuses on board vessels supplying FCF.<\/div>\n
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\u201cThe Taiwan government must guarantee in-depth investigations of such cases,\u201d says Yi Chiao Lee. \u201cIt must put in place legislation that protects workers and human rights and ensure full implementation; and companies like FCF must urgently review their business models and put in place the means to ensure that human rights abuses and poor environmental standards endemic to parts of this industry are effectively eliminated.\u201d<\/div>\n
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-ENDS-<\/div>\n
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Notes:<\/strong><\/div>\n
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[1] The European Commision issues a \u201cyellow card\u201d, or warning, where a country that exports fish to the EU needs need to take strong action to fight IUU fishing. Failure to take strong action risks being identified as a non-cooperating country, which brings \u201cred card\u201d sanctions.<\/div>\n
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[2] A Greenpeace supply chain analysis has established FCF and FCN supply fish to the Japanese market, including \u30b5\u30d7\u30e9\u30a4, Toyo Reizo Co., Ltd (\u6771\u6d0b\u51b7\u85cf\u682a\u5f0f\u4f1a\u793e), Yashima Suisan Co., Ltd. (\u516b\u6d32\u6c34\u7523\u682a\u5f0f\u4f1a\u793e) , ITOCHU Corporation (\u4f0a\u85e4\u5fe0), FCN, Kanetomo Co., Ltd (\u30ab\u30cd\u30c8\u30e2), Nippon Suisan Kaisha, Ltd (\u65e5\u672c\u6c34\u7523), Marubun Suisan Kako (\u4e38\u6587\u6c34\u7523\u682a\u5f0f\u4f1a\u793e)<\/div>\n
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Photo and video:<\/strong>
https:\/\/media.greenpeace.org\/collection\/27MZIFJXBAYP1<\/a><\/div>\n
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Report:<\/strong>
Misery at Sea \u2013 Human suffering in Taiwan\u2019s distant water fishing fleet<\/a><\/div>\n
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Contacts:<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Shen Hsieh, Communications Officer, Greenpeace East Asia (Taiwan), (+886) 921 600 687, shsieh@greenpeace.org<\/a>