What’s the catch? Traceability for responsible seafood supply chains

The new Netflix release — Seaspiracy — has taken the internet by storm as it tackles the many problems plaguing our oceans. While some have criticized the documentary for generalizing the issues and using outdated studies, Seaspiricy highlights the very real harm unethical fishing practices cause for people and our planet.

A report from the Environmental Justice Foundation found that there were “cases of slavery, debt bondage, insufficient food and water, filthy living conditions, physical and sexual assault and even murder aboard fishing vessels from 13 countries operating across three oceans.” These human rights abuses can often be hard to track, as the vessels are far out in the ocean and rarely come to shore.

In an article from the Future of Fish, they discuss the need for greater supply chain transparency in the seafood industry, noting that while many large industry players are aware of the human rights issues, they did not believe it could be happening within their supply chain.

Companies like Wal-Mart, Costco, and Whole Foods have been found selling seafood caught using forced labour and more companies are realizing the need to take immediate action to protect their supply chains from human rights violations. As governments, corporations and not for profits fight to fix these issues, there is no doubt that technology will play an important role.

Peer Ledger’s MIMOSI Connect traceability platform supports the shift towards greater transparency in the seafood industry. Our blockchain enabled technology gives companies a trusted, immutable record of transactions and metrics across their entire supply chain to support responsible supply chain management and due diligence. MIMOSI Connect allows companies to capture and track transactions and important metrics to instantly map and monitor their supply chains. For companies seeking to get serious about traceability within their supply chain, MIMOSI Connect provides the proof to ensure that your practices and values stay aligned.

References

1. Josh Silberg (April 5, 2021), Seaspiracy Harms More Than It Educates, Hakai Magazine. Retrieved from https://www.hakaimagazine.com/article-short/seaspiracy-harms-more-than-it-educates/
2. Reliefweb (June, 2019), Blood and Water: Human rights abuse in the global seafood industry. Retrieved from https://reliefweb.int/report/world/blood-and-water-human-rights-abuse-global-seafood-industry
3. Future of Fish, Human Rights and Seafood: Sustainability Means Ending Slavery, Too. Retrieved from https://www.futureoffish.org/blog/human-rights-and-seafood-sustainability-means-ending-slavery-too
4. Virginia Gewin (February 25, 2021), How new technology is helping to identify human rights abuses in the seafood industry. Retrieved from https://thecounter.org/new-technology-helping-identify-human-rights-abuses-seafood-industry-forced-labor/