The Seafood Ethics Common Language Group (SECLG) provides a safe meeting space to discuss the key ethical issues faced by the international seafood industry. The group looks at social welfare issues that affect the UK seafood supply chain, whether in the UK or seafood imported into the UK. This covers human trafficking, labour abuses, child labour, debt bondage, forced labour, migrant workers, and modern slavery. It is an opportunity to share new ideas or best practice case studies from around the world. We have added links to presentations given at recent SECLG meetings which might be useful and of interest.

Catch up with past meetings – Social indicators – SECLG ten years on (10 July 2024)

SECLG first met in July 2014, and since then has provided a forum to bring together seafood stakeholders to look at human rights issues in seafood supply chains, explore shared collective solutions and collaborate. This meeting looked at what has happened in the last ten years, and looked ahead at the new Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CS3D) and what this will mean going forward. The presentations are to come.

Morning session – SECLG ten years on (July 2014 – July 2024) different perspectives

• Kaleem Luthra, Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF).
• Chris Williams, International Transport and Workers Federation (ITF).
• Katharine Bryant, Walk Free/Global Slavery Index.
• Mia Tucker, Issara Institute.

Afternoon session – The legislative framework – what is coming, and what this could mean

• Understanding the CS3D: Implications for the seafood industry. Ana Maria Uribe and Rebecca Damm, Human Level.
• Human rights, social equity and sustainability in seafood 10 years on: Where do we go from here? Birgitte Krogh-Poulsen, Independent Social Development Consultant.

The role of certification – How standards have evolved over the last ten years? What next?

• Clare Stevens, Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC).
• Dan Lee, Global Seafood Alliance (GSA).
• Libby Woodhatch, MarinTrust.
• Alexandre Garcia-Devis Flores, GlobalG.A.P.
• David Hammond, Human Rights at Sea International.

Catch up with past meetings – How the supply chain is addressing emerging issues and challenges (5 March 2024)

There are complex issues and concerns about labour and human rights issues, across many countries and a wide range of products. This challenges the reputation of the seafood sector and is too big and too complex an issue for any individual company or organisation to tackle on its own. This meeting was an opportunity to look at some of the initiatives that have been developed, or are developing now, to address these issues.

• Worker Voice and Partnership: A model for worker-centred due diligence and remediation of labour Issues in the Thai seafood industry. Mia Tucker, Issara Institute
• Addressing issues in the UK catching sector – Europe’s first Worker-Driven Social Responsibility (WSR) initiative launches pilot to fight the exploitation of workers at sea. Lucila Granada, FLEX and Mike Park, SWFPA.
• Collaborating to understand and address emerging issues in the supply chain. Georgia Worrall, Seafood Ethics Action Alliance.