We believe that companies have a key role to play in advocating for more effective regulation and enforcement of labour standards and human rights in seafood supply chains. 

Amber Madley, NESI – SEA Alliance Advocacy and Engagement Working Group Lead.

Key areas of focus:

• Reviewing and supporting the implementation of the SEA Alliance Advocacy Strategy.
• Reviewing and responding to any new advocacy opportunities.
• Engaging with external organisations on Government-focused advocacy opportunities.
• Leading engagement with Standards and certification bodies on how they address human rights/labour standards.

Advocacy with key Governments

The SEA Alliance carries out advocacy and engagement with key Governments that have a role in our supply chains, to encourage better protection of human rights and improved labour standards.

The SEA Alliance is actively promoting the ratification and effective implementation of key international agreements:

1. The IMO (2012) Cape Town Agreement (CTA)
2. The ILO (2007) Work in Fishing Convention (C188)
3. The (2009) FAO Agreement on Port States Measures to Prevent Deter and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing (PSMA)
4. The IMO (1995) International Convention on Training, Certification and for Fishing Vessels Personnel (STCW-F)

All of these agreements, except the CTA, are in force. However, there is a lack of adoption of all the agreements by many key fishing countries, including those in the supply chains of SEA Alliance member companies. In addition, there are indications that some of the countries that have ratified the agreements have not yet effectively implemented them. There is therefore the need to send a clear, aligned and consistent message from the market on the importance of Governments ratifying and effectively implementing all these agreements. You can visit the Pew website to find out which countries have ratified key international agreements

In addition to the role of Governments and international organisations, we are also advocating for standards and certification bodies to ensure that human rights and labour standards are adequately covered by their standards and processes.

As well as advocating for these specific agreements to be ratified and implemented, we also envisage situations where we may engage in-depth with Governments on other key aspects of policy relating to the human rights and labour standards of fishers. For example, this may be linked to in-depth work we are doing in specific countries (e.g. UK, Republic of Ireland), and may also involve issues relating to the management of outward migration by labour sending countries.

Advocacy activity

There are a number of ways that we are engaging in advocacy. These may include, but are not limited to:

• Letter writing to priority Governments, RFMOs, industry organisations, standard holders, and other key actors on behalf of SEA Alliance members
• Holding remote or in-person meetings with Governments, RFMOs, industry organisations, standard holders, and other key actors
• Supporting our member companies in holding meetings with Government’s, RFMOs, industry organisations, standard holders, and other key actors
• Supporting our member companies to engage their suppliers to support advocacy efforts in key countries
• Issuing public statements on behalf of the SEA Alliance
• Speaking at events and participating in key decision-making fora
• Participating in formal consultation processes relating to existing or new legislation and policy

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