Decent work in fisheries

Current trends and key considerations for future research and policy

Bibliographic Data

ID21521986
AuthorsAlejandro J Garcia Lozano (The Ocean Foundation, corresponding author), Jessica L Decker Sparks (0000-0003-0123-0310, University of Nottingham), Davina P Durgana (0000-0001-7133-7530, Walk Free Foundation), Courtney M Farthing (0000-0001-6982-3417, World Water Watch), Juno Fitzpatrick (Conservation International), Birgitte Krough-Poulsen (California State University, Monterey Bay), Gavin McDonald (0000-0001-7624-5985, University of California, Santa Barbara), Sara McDonald (California State University, Monterey Bay), Yoshitaka Ota (0000-0002-3478-2720, University of Washington), Nicole Sarto (Conservation International), Andrés M Cisneros-Montemayor (0000-0002-4132-5317, University of Washington), Gabrielle Lout (Arizona State University), Elena M Finkbeiner (0000-0003-3586-3677, Conservation International), Elena Finkbeiner, John N Kittinger (0000-0001-8799-7373, Arizona State University)
Year2022
Volume136
Pages104922
Publication date2022-02-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueMarine Policy (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0308-597X • E-ISSN: 1872-9460
PublisherElsevier BV (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1016/j.marpol.2021.104922
OpenAlexW4200034884
LanguageEN
Citations received20
References cited49

Labor issues and human rights violations have become the subject of rising concern in fisheries and seafood production. This paper reviews recent research on labor issues in the fishing industry, especially by environmental researchers and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) which are emerging as key players in research and policy arenas. Recent research has focused largely on severe violations such as forced labor, particularly in ‘hotspot’ geographies, often relying on indicators and risk-based approaches given the paucity of data and challenges of monitoring working conditions. This paper proposes that decent work – a concept associated with the institutional history of the International Labor Organization (ILO) but with broad implications – can contribute to overcoming gaps in the research landscape, and assessing and improving a range of labor issues in fisheries. The paper elaborates some key considerations for studying and promoting decent work in the seafood industry. Assessing and achieving decent work in the world’s fisheries requires (1) a holistic human rights approach to decent work, in which labor concerns are understood in the context of interrelated and interdependent sets of human rights, (2) consideration of the complex political-economic regimes and histories in which seafood production is embedded, and perhaps most importantly, (3) that workers play a central role and have a voice in defining and achieving decent work. The paper concludes with future directions for research and a discussion of promising and emerging policy pathways for promoting decent work in fisheries and seafood production

Business · Economics · Environmental resource management · Fishing · Geography · Interdependence · Political science · Politics · Corporate Law and Human Rights · Engineering · Global trade, sustainability, and social impact · Sex work and related issues

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