ITF alleges Ireland fishing laws afford more protection to fish than fishers
ITF alleges Ireland fishing laws afford more protection to fish than fishers
The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) has alleged that crew have fewer rights than fish’ as Ireland’s failure to ratify C188 lets Spanish trawler off the hook as ITF exposes labour abuses
The labour union stated that the recent arrest and detention of a Spanish-owned, German-flagged fishing vessel Pesorsa Dos, and the subsequent prosecution of its skipper over 12 alleged fisheries violations, shows that the law in Ireland affords greater protection to fish than to migrant fishers working onboard foreign-flagged vessels operating in Irish waters.
Michael O’Brien, Fisheries Campaign Lead for the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF), said the arrest of the Pesorsa Dos (IMO 7360930) has rightfully garnered publicity in both Ireland and Spain but the rights and welfare of the Indonesian crew has received negligible attention.
“This episode shows that while the State is responsive to protecting fish stocks and their wellbeing, there is not the same level of concern shown towards the wellbeing of fishers onboard foreign flagged vessels operating in Irish waters,” said O’Brien.
“If there was, Ireland would have long ago ratified the 2007 International Labour Organization’s Work in Fishing Convention C188 to ensure Ireland’s officials have the powers needed to stop exploitative operators from slipping through the regulatory net when it comes to labour abuses, as is the case now.”
