In fear of penalty for malpractice, fishery workers at sea are retaliating against and endangering dolphin-safe tuna monitors. To ensure that fishermen and boat captains follow international rules governing fisheries, and to avoid overfishing and the catching of non-target animals such as dolphins and whales, many fisheries require government observers to observe and report on fishing activities. Unfortunately, fisheries observers working onboard certain fishing vessels are in danger of physical harm and even murder.
The International Marine Mammal Project (IMMP) of Earth Island Institute oversees and maintains international monitors to ensure that tuna fishermen are operating in a dolphin-safe manner in compliance with the standards set out in our Dolphin Safe Tuna program. In the Eastern Tropical Pacific Ocean alone, dolphin-safe fishing prevents 90,000 dolphin deaths annually.
IMMP recently joined with the organization Human Rights at Sea (HRAS), based in the United Kingdom, to address the pressing issues of fishermen’s rights and especially the need to protect fisheries observers when they are doing their jobs at sea.
Fisheries observers are required to report any violations at sea that they observe. Yet they face mounting danger as such programs expand. They will often be at sea for months, sometimes with hostile crews. A recent study issued by HRAS, Fisheries Observer Deaths at Sea, Human Rights and the Role and Responsibilities of Fisheries Organisations, determined that since 2010, at least seven fisheries observers “disappeared” at sea. Another estimate done by the Association for Professional Observers put the number at 11 missing observers.
HRAS makes many recommendations to protect observers at sea, including requiring notification of INTERPOL for any violations of the rights and persons of fisheries observers, as well as full reporting of deaths, injuries, or missing observers to the appropriate Observer Program with jurisdiction to investigate.
HRAS further recommends that all fisheries observers have the means to communicate without relying on the fishing boat. Furthermore, they recommend that compensation to the families of observers should be prompt and generous, with the appropriate insurance for the observers.
IMMP plans to work closely with HRAS to put in place appropriate requirements to protect both fishermen and fisheries observers as part of our verification process and international monitoring for tuna companies around the world.
Our monitors check tuna supplies, canneries, and cold storage facilities to ensure that tuna is caught by methods that do not harm dolphins and whales. We encourage you to buy tuna labeled only "Dolphin Safe".
