Learning Lessons in Tackling Slavery and Human Trafficking in Seafood Supply Chains: Applying Solutions for UK and Other Businesses Sourcing from Indonesia

Slavery of Indonesian and migrant workers on fishing vessels in Southeast Asia is well-documented. While the attention (of the media, of international organisations and of researchers) has until now largely focused on Thailand, in recent years Indonesia has emerged as one of the biggest seafood-producing countries in the world. Forced labour and human trafficking has factored into this rapid growth, and it is now as significant an issue in Indonesia as it is in Thailand. However, there is still little understanding about which corporate and/or government and NGO interventions work, or which may make matters worse.

This project produced evidence-driven recommendations to help the brand-owners, buyers and suppliers, which source from the fishing industry in Indonesia, to understand where and how they can address risks within their seafood supply chains in Indonesia. The project also generated a set of policy recommendations for the government of Indonesia who has made this issue a priority.

Principal Investigator: Dr Katharine Jones, Coventry University