Fishing industry report confirms worst fears

The Mari­time Uni­on says the release of a Gov­ern­ment report into employ­ment con­di­tions in the New Zea­l­and fish­ing industry has con­firmed its worst fears.

Mari­time Uni­on Gen­er­al Sec­ret­ary Tre­vor Han­son says the report has shone light on dark places in regard to the treat­ment of over­seas crews.

“We are dis­ap­poin­ted at the Gov­ern­ment response to the report con­sid­er­ing what is actu­ally going on onboard some of these trawl­ers.”

Mr Han­son says it is obvi­ous that over­seas crews are being abused, exploited and under­paid.

Inter­views with over­seas crew mem­bers by Gov­ern­ment labour inspect­ors reveal a chilling pic­ture of “sweat­ship” con­di­tions in a glob­al­ized mari­time free mar­ket.

“The over­seas crews are being under­paid, hav­ing their mea­gre wages fur­ther stripped back by agents fees, and they are often beaten and threatened into a state of fear and silence.”

Mr Han­son says the New Zea­l­and Gov­ern­ment should imme­di­ately act on the report to ensure that all work­ers in New Zea­l­and waters can expect to be treated with the basic stand­ards of a civ­il­ized soci­ety.

“The Mari­time Uni­on says the Gov­ern­ment should be enfor­cing the law, not con­sult­ing and nego­ti­at­ing with employ­ers who are break­ing the law.”

Mr Han­son says the report was com­pleted in Decem­ber 2004 and was sup­plied in advance to employ­ers, but Uni­ons involved in the industry received the report today along with the media and pub­lic.

He says New Zea­l­and crews are being forced out of the industry due to a Third World eco­nomy oper­at­ing off the New Zea­l­and coast on fish­ing trawl­ers.

“The report states clearly there is no strong reas­on to doubt inform­a­tion from Indone­sian crew mem­bers that the con­di­tions onboard amount to little more than sweat­shop ones.”

Mr Han­son says the fish­ing industry is a dis­aster zone, where the envir­on­ment, loc­al jobs and work­ers rights have been thrown in the trash to ensure a short-term, ugly and greed-driv­en sys­tem bene­fit­ing a few.

The Mari­time Uni­on says the industry needs to be strictly reg­u­lated to improve work­ing con­di­tions, ensure loc­al jobs and pro­tect the long term sus­tain­ab­il­ity of fish stocks for future gen­er­a­tions.