Human Rights at Sea International Ltd
Climate Impact & Sustainability Data (2020)
Reporting Period: 2020
Environmental Metrics
ESG Focus Areas
- Fisheries Observers' Safety, Security & Well-being
- Human Rights at Sea
Social Achievements
- Developed recommendations and policy to improve Fisheries Observers' safety, security, and well-being.
Governance Achievements
- Highlighted the need for increased transparency and accountability in reporting incidents involving Fisheries Observers.
Climate Goals & Targets
Environmental Challenges
- Lack of transparency in reporting of incidents involving Fisheries Observers.
- Lack of comprehensive employment contracts for Fisheries Observers.
- Lack of access to professional insurance provisions for Fisheries Observers.
- Lack of coastal State engagement in investigations.
- Lack of enforcement follow-up in cases of Fisheries Observer deaths or disappearances.
- Lack of publicly available and accessible VMS data.
- Disparate policy approaches by coastal States regarding VMS data disclosure.
- Inadequate insurance protection for Fisheries Observers.
- Lack of durable marine safety equipment for Fisheries Observers.
- Poorly coordinated monitoring and surveillance programs.
- Lack of centralized programme database.
- Inconsistencies in terminology across different parties' published materials.
- Lack of transparency in incident reporting.
- Lack of intergovernmental and inter-agency cooperation in investigations.
- Impunity for perpetrators of human rights abuses against Fisheries Observers.
Mitigation Strategies
- Proposed ten recommendations for policy and legislative reform.
- Conducted a Pacific-focused Fisheries Observer survey.
- Developed a model CMM document to include human rights protections.
- Advocated for publicising VMS data.
- Advocated for enhanced usage of complementary electronic monitoring.
- Advocated for increased coverage on longline fishing vessels.
- Advocated for mandatory permanent AIS switched-on status.
- Advocated for appropriate Protection and Indemnity (P&I) insurance cover.
- Advocated for express commercial contractual requirements by retailers.
- Advocated for better coordination among key stakeholders in fisheries certification programmes.
- Advocated for explicit, public, and voluntary commitment to acceding to business and human rights norms.
- Advocated for full policy disclosure of business strategies related to human rights standards.
- Advocated for transparent investigations into incidents involving Fisheries Observers.
- Advocated for expanded and formalised intergovernmental and inter-agency cooperation in investigations.
- Advocated for the involvement of Interpol in investigations.