GAA: Narong will respond to accusations

The Global Aquaculture Alliance (GAA) on Friday said a Best Aquaculture Practices certified company accused of labor abuse will respond to all reported accusations.

Narong Seafood, a longtime Walmart shrimp supplier, has been accused by the Warehouse Workers Union (WWU) and International Labor Rights Forum (IRLF) of violations of Thai Law and international human rights standards.

“The Global Aquaculture Alliance takes very seriously the accusations of labor abuse in a 6 June report by Warehouse Workers United and the International Labor Rights Forum and is determining a corrective course of action to ensure that the shrimp processing plant cited in the brief is adhering to Thai labor laws and the Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) standards,” said GAA. “The facility, Narong Seafood Co. Ltd. in Samutsakorn, Samutsakorn, Thailand, is BAP certified.

“The BAP management team is following up with Narong Seafood, which will be required to respond to all accusations in the report, and a corrective course of action will include ensuring that the facility was auditing effectively.

“GAA is committed to promoting social responsibility through its BAP certification program. Processing plants and farms certified against the BAP standards must ensure a safe, healthy working environment. The BAP standards also address wages and other terms of employment and the use of child and forced labor.”

“These are serious allegations that need to be investigated. Through its BAP program, GAA takes its role in promoting fair labor conditions very seriously, so any report of abuse at a BAP-certified facility is a matter of great concern,” said Dan Lee, BAP standards coordinator.

“The report calls on major players like Walmart to help drive up labor standards in the global seafood industry, and the BAP program provides an important tool for this job,” he added. “Some seafood certification programs side step the thorny issue of labor conditions. But, to its credit, GAA has adopted a comprehensive approach that attaches great importance to social issues.”

Subscribe

Want seafood news sent to your inbox?

You may unsubscribe from our mailing list at any time. Diversified Communications | 121 Free Street, Portland, ME 04101 | +1 207-842-5500
None