US bans imports from Chinese fishing fleet for work practices Human Rights News

Officials say the U.S. is the first ban on imports from an entire fishing fleet in the face of individual vessels.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection imposed new import ban on Chinese fishing fleet on Friday, the agency said forced labor in its 32 vessels, including abuses against many Indonesian workers.

CBP has said it will immediately seize tuna, swordfish and other products from Dalian Ocean Fishing Co Ltd in U.S. ports of entry. The “arrest warrant” that bans imports also applies to the company’s other end-use seafood products, such as canned tuna and pet food, a CBP official said.

Interior Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said the action is the first time CBP has banned imports of an entire fishing fleet in the face of individual vessels that were targeted in the past.

“DHS will continue to aggressively investigate the use of forced fishing vessels and many other industries in remote water fishing vessels,” Mayorkas said in a news release. “Producers and U.S. importers should understand that there will be consequences for entities that try to exploit workers to sell goods in the United States.”

CBP officials said the agency’s investigation revealed that many Indonesian workers hired by Dalian Ocean Fishing vessels had found different conditions than expected and had been subjected to physical violence, wage retention, debt bondage and excessive working and living conditions.

In a statement, State Department spokesman Ned Price said the U.S. would promote the responsibility of those who use forced labor to “exploit individuals for profit” and ensure that “the voiceless are heard and protected.”

“Today’s action helps to benefit from the forced labor of human rights abusers,” the statement said. “It is also another example of the United States taking steps to address harmful fishing practices.”

.@CBP the Dalian Ocean Fishing Company of the PRC has announced restrictions on marine products, proving that it has been involved in forced labor. The international community must deal with forced labor wherever it occurs, including in the fishing industry. https://t.co/Fnj8qlgvKm https://t.co/qNrI6zo2UD

– Ned Price (@StateDeptSpox) May 28, 2021

Earlier this week, U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai drew attention to the issue of forced labor on care vessels, presented a new proposal to the World Trade Organization to reduce subsidies for illegal fishing and call for member countries to recognize the problem.

Imports from Dalian Ocean Fisheries in the U.S. are small, accounting for just $ 233,000 in 2020, CBP said.

But the problem of forced labor is erupting amid tight ties between the U.S. and China, which has recently been linked to the arrest of Chinese Muslim Ujur in the far-western region of Xinjiang after numerous import bans. The move comes in the wake of an initial interview with Chinese Vice Premier Liu He after just two days.

During the last week of January, the Trump administration announced a widespread ban on imports of all cotton and tomato products from Xinjiang due to allegations that they were produced with forced labor in Uyghur – a profound move that would require a clothing and textile industry. reorder supply chains.