August 7, 2015 — Human rights and ethical issues in the seafood industry will be addressed at next month’s World Seafood Congress (WSC) in Grimsby, a first for this international conference.
Following last year’s exposés into human trafficking and forced labour in the Thai shrimp supply chain, human rights has become a focal point of conversations within the seafood industry globally.
The WSC will aim to address a range of social and sustainability challenges during a dedicated seafood ethics session on the opening day. Expert speakers from the UK and the US will lead the discussion around topics including ethical practice and the prevention of human rights abuse.
Libby Woodhatch, head of advocacy at Seafish, the UK industry authority hosting the congress, will open the session with a speech on social challenges in the seafood supply chain, and explain how Seafish’s Responsible Fishing Scheme, an initiative developed to raise standards in the catching sector, is working to combat such issues.