The canned tuna was packed in a Georgia plant owned by Thai Union, the largest canned tuna company in the world and owner of Chicken of the Sea in the United States. While the recalls importantly address spoilage issues, they fail to confront ongoing concerns over bycatch, ecosystem destruction, and significant labor issues at sea.
“It’s nice to finally hear Bumble Bee and Chicken of the Sea talking about health concerns in the out-of-control tuna industry,” said Greenpeace Oceans Campaign Director John Hocevar. “The companies should extend their concerns to the health and safety of the workers who catch tuna to fill their cans, along with the species they continue to put at risk with destructive fishing methods.”
Last year, Greenpeace’s Rainbow Warrior ship sailed the high seas of the Pacific Ocean and boarded numerous ships that supply canned tuna to the United States. The Greenpeace team documented troubling conditions and labor practices on board, including officers forbidding workers from using the toilet, severely restricting their access to fresh water, and fining crewmembers more than a day’s wages for taking clean water. Greenpeace also discovered that most fishermen make only $75 – $125 dollars a week to bring tuna to American supermarket shelves, though they work up to 20 hours a day for months on end.
On every ship supplying Bumble Bee visited by Greenpeace, the crew and captain talked about the amount of tuna they caught, but also species like sharks, marlin, and sunfish. The growing number of longline vessels on the high seas has impacted both the health of tuna populations and the entire marine ecosystem. Tuna vessels are responsible for a large portion of the 100 million sharks killed by commercial fisheries each year, many of which supply the shark fin trade.
Many tuna vessels also continue to fill their fish holds with fuel, which means the tuna Americans eat could have been stored in compartments previously containing toxic fuel. As ships travel further to chase fish, they use this method to remain profitable and stay out at sea longer.
“These companies claim the recalls were initiated out of an abundance of caution, which seems a bit out of character for an industry that by its own reckoning has overfished 9 of the 23 tuna stocks they have solid data for,” said Hocevar. “It’s ironic that these companies are asking customers to throw away their tuna cans, which sounds similar to what the industry does with the hundreds of thousands of sharks, turtles, and other marine species needlessly slaughtered each year.”
Thai Union has been implicated in multiple investigations into forced labor. The company has taken piecemeal steps to address the issue, but has thus far refused to audit its entire seafood supply chain or make significant changes on the water. Greenpeace has actively called on Thai Union to clean up its act or face increased pressure from consumers around the globe.
###
Contact: Perry Wheeler, Greenpeace Media Officer, P: 301-675-8766
