Small-scale fishermen, workers not being paid their fair share of profits: report

The South Asia Alliance for Poverty Eradication in its latest report ‘the exploitation of fishermen and labourers in the fisheries sector in South Asia’ has stated that Pakistani small-scale fishermen and workers have not been able to obtain their fair share of the profits and benefits.

The report prepared by former Marine Director General of Marine Fisheries Department Moazzam Khan reveals that Pakistan’s seafood sector which is primarily derived from its marine resources supports more than a million people.

The 1,126-km coastline and offshore waters of Pakistan are the most important components of total fish production and export of seafood from Pakistan. Among marine fishes, demersal species are major contributors 47 per cent followed by small pelagic 27 per cent, large pelagic 14 per cent and shellfish 12 per cent.

Pakistan, as in the other countries of the South Asian region, has one of the lowest annual fish consumption per capita, exports most of its seafood to Southeast Asian countries as well as the Middle East. Additionally, larger markets are opening, especially countries like China which has a relatively larger demand base for seafood as compared to other countries in the region.

Under the second phase of the China-Pakistan Free Trade Agreement, implemented in December, 2019, seafood products enjoyed considerably more tariff concession, which has resulted in a manifold increase in export.

Latest data from the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, as of May 2022, shows that export of selected frozen seafood increased considerably to $ 90.05 million in the first eleven months of Fiscal Year 2021-22.

Problem statement

The proclivity toward maximising profits dominates the seafood value chain in South Asia, including Pakistan, as it does around the world, especially in an export-based scenario.

While existing value chains are plagued with issues of human rights, indebtedness and inequality including gender discrimination, Global Value Chains (GVCs) are fostering systems that perpetuate human suffering.

The livelihoods of fisherfolks and workers in Pakistan increasingly depend on value chain approaches that contribute to social equality and it is high time we broadened the focus and scope of the seafood value chain by incorporating other human values instead of mere financial gains.

National policymakers, Civil society organisations, business enterprises and multilateral agencies need to work further to make the seafood value chain more equitable and fairer by combining business principles with social aspirations of those who are seemingly stuck at the bottom of the value chain, i.e. the small-scale fishermen and workers.

The socioeconomic inequality between the rich and the poor, the powerful and the powerless has never been greater and the situation of men and women in these value chains has hardly improved over the years.

Call on government

The organisations, including Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum, Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research, Pakistan Kisan Rabita Committee, Labour Education Foundation, and South Asia Alliance for Poverty Eradication, of which representatives were in report-launching ceremony drew the attention of stakeholders to be addressed the issue in favour of small producers and seafood workers.

They said that the government of Pakistan needs to introduce and implement binding legislation to prohibit unfair business and trading practices that exploit small-scale fishermen and workers in the region.

They urged that there is a need of adopting specific measures to address discrimination against women and create spaces for CSOs, especially for women fish workers all the while providing support for organisational development in case they want to establish a small-scale enterprise. Establish policies and adapt legislation intending to realise gender equality by ensuring both men and women have equal access to various extension and technical services, including legal support related to the seafood sectors.

The concerned authorities should also implement minimum harvest prices or other similar price-support mechanisms for small-scale fishermen and workers to guarantee purchase prices cover their ever-increasing operation costs.

The government should work towards policy coherence of national legislation to international human rights law and other policies related to education, and health. The authorities should develop a long-term action plan for sustainable harvest to aid in the eradication of poverty and hunger using an ecosystem approach with particular attention to vulnerable and marginalised communities.

Private sector

In the report, these organisations called upon the private sector to ensure transparency and traceability by disclosing information about their suppliers’ business model and establish a reward mechanism for those that exhibit greater transparency and are committed to upholding workers' and women's rights in the seafood sector.

The private sector should close the gap between the prevailing wage and the living wage of workers by ensuring enough value at the harvest level.

Also, there is a need that private sector is fully committed to the elimination of unfair business and trading practices by ensuring appropriate pricing mechanisms that benefit small-scale fishermen and workers considering the ever-increasing operation costs.

Call on int’l agencies

The report suggested that the United Nations, Food and Agriculture Organisation, International Labour Organisation and World Trade Organisation need to contribute to facilitating meaningful and informed participation of small-scale fishers and their communities, including indigenous people, women and other minorities considering various UN Declarations related to human rights and workers' rights.

The WTO should implement fishing subsidies rules that help the fisherfolk in developing countries like Pakistan to improve their livelihoods and not favour developed countries at the expense of poor fisherfolk.

Pakistan has a poor information system and the government has no mechanism to register small fishers who are pursuing fishing activities for their livelihoods.

Regarding illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, it might take years for the country can streamline any regulatory mechanisms. In this scenario, it is imperative that a 25-year exemption be provided by the WTO under the special and differential treatment (S&DT) provisions to develop these mechanisms.