Indonesian Tuna Fishing Industry Association Support Social Responsibility in their Supply Chains by Joining FisheryProgress Early Adopter Program

In recent years, investigations by NGOs and journalists have brought to light the urgent need to ensure human rights are protected in fisheries. Global seafood businesses have begun to assess and take action to address human rights risks in their supply chains. 

Indonesian Pole & line and Handline Fisheries Association (AP2HI) as a sustainable fisheries Industry association is excited by the launch of FishChoice new FisheryProgress Human Rights and Social Responsibility Policy. The policy will provide information about human rights risks and the actions for FIPs to address those risks, giving seafood buyers essential information to contribute to their own due diligence efforts.

Since May 2021, AP2HI together with strategic partners, IPNLF and MDPI participate in the “Early Adopter Program” in an effort to implement this Policy. 6 of AP2HI profiles in FisheryProgress are:

1. Indonesia Western and Central Pacific Ocean Skipjack Tuna – Pole & Line
2. Indonesia Western and Central Pacific Ocean Yellowfin Tuna – Pole & Line
   
3. Indonesia Western and Central Pacific Ocean Yellowfin Tuna – Handline
   
4. Indonesia Indian Ocean Skipjack Tuna – Pole & Line
   
5. Indonesia Indian Ocean Yellowfin Tuna – Pole & Line
   
6. Indonesia Indian Ocean Yellowfin Tuna – Handline
   

By joining this program, organizations listed in the FIP profile above must meet several requirements which include:

• All FIP must meet basic requirements to commit to uphold FisheryProgress Human Rights Code of Conduct, provide information on vessels and/or fishers in the FIP, and ensure fishers understand their rights and have a grievance mechanism to report abuses.  
• All FIP must complete a self-evaluation of whether they have situational factors that increase the risk of forced labor and human trafficking occurring, such as at-sea transshipment, a significant foreign migrant workforce, or trips where fishers are not allowed on shore at least once every 90 days. 
• FIPs that have these situational factors must conduct an in-depth risk assessment to understand the true level of risk in their fisheries, create a social workplan, and report on their improvements over time, similar to how they report on environmental progress. FIPs that do not have these situational factors may voluntarily take these steps, which are consistent with international standards for human rights due diligence.

As of March 2022, AP2HI and its partner have implemented some activities to comply with the policy by conducting self evaluation risk criteria, providing FIP Vessel List, updating the Fishers Code of Conduct, and identifying the grievance mechanism for fishers under its supply chain.

“We expect the policy will standardize and increase the FIPs data report on FisheryProgress about social issues. This will give seafood buyers essential information to contribute to their own due diligence effort. It will also highlight common challenges, gaps in current tools and resources that the entire community needs to address to enable FIPs to better protect fishers,” said Janti Djuari, AP2HI Chairwoman.

Photo by Fish For Good/ 2020