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Modern slavery and the race to fish

Author

Listed:
  • David Tickler

    (University of Western Australia
    Walk Free Foundation)

  • Jessica J. Meeuwig

    (University of Western Australia)

  • Katharine Bryant

    (Walk Free Foundation)

  • Fiona David

    (Walk Free Foundation)

  • John A. H. Forrest

    (University of Western Australia
    Walk Free Foundation)

  • Elise Gordon

    (Walk Free Foundation)

  • Jacqueline Joudo Larsen

    (Walk Free Foundation)

  • Beverly Oh

    (University of Western Australia
    Walk Free Foundation)

  • Daniel Pauly

    (University of British Columbia)

  • Ussif R. Sumaila

    (University of British Columbia)

  • Dirk Zeller

    (University of Western Australia)

Abstract

Marine fisheries are in crisis, requiring twice the fishing effort of the 1950s to catch the same quantity of fish, and with many fleets operating beyond economic or ecological sustainability. A possible consequence of diminishing returns in this race to fish is serious labour abuses, including modern slavery, which exploit vulnerable workers to reduce costs. Here, we use the Global Slavery Index (GSI), a national-level indicator, as a proxy for modern slavery and labour abuses in fisheries. GSI estimates and fisheries governance are correlated at the national level among the major fishing countries. Furthermore, countries having documented labour abuses at sea share key features, including higher levels of subsidised distant-water fishing and poor catch reporting. Further research into modern slavery in the fisheries sector is needed to better understand how the issue relates to overfishing and fisheries policy, as well as measures to reduce risk in these labour markets.

Suggested Citation

  • David Tickler & Jessica J. Meeuwig & Katharine Bryant & Fiona David & John A. H. Forrest & Elise Gordon & Jacqueline Joudo Larsen & Beverly Oh & Daniel Pauly & Ussif R. Sumaila & Dirk Zeller, 2018. "Modern slavery and the race to fish," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 9(1), pages 1-9, December.
  • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:9:y:2018:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-018-07118-9
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-07118-9
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    Cited by:

    1. Elizabeth R. Selig & Shinnosuke Nakayama & Colette C. C. Wabnitz & Henrik Österblom & Jessica Spijkers & Nathan A. Miller & Jan Bebbington & Jessica L. Decker Sparks, 2022. "Revealing global risks of labor abuse and illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-11, December.
    2. Rosa Lavelle-Hill & Gavin Smith & Anjali Mazumder & Todd Landman & James Goulding, 2021. "Machine learning methods for “wicked” problems: exploring the complex drivers of modern slavery," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 8(1), pages 1-11, December.
    3. Cheng-Wen Lee & Chi-Hsi Wang, 2021. "Advantage and Disadvantage of Foreign Migrant Fishermen in Small-Scale Fisheries toward Rural Coastal Areas," Advances in Management and Applied Economics, SCIENPRESS Ltd, vol. 11(4), pages 1-4.

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