Shark conservation NGO Shark Guardian has issued a report accusing Taiwanese tuna giant Fong Chun Formosa (FCF) of failing to address “shocking environmental and human rights breaches in its supply chain,” allegations the company dismissed as outdated.
“We welcome meaningful engagement with all stakeholders on these issues, but the allegations in Shark Guardian’s recent report are both outdated and, in many instances, not based on verifiable evidence,” FCF said in a statement.
The report, "Empty Promises, Empty Oceans: Fong Chun Formosa Fishery Company’s Sustainability," claims that there is a gap between FCF’s public claims of vetting its supply chain and the actual activities its suppliers engage in. Shark Guardian argues that while FCF announces new sustainability initiatives and commitments, it has not credibly demonstrated progress on achieving the standards it sets for itself.
“Despite its public promises, FCF’s supply chain lacks rigorous examination, its audits are not transparent, and reported violations have little repercussion. Rather than delivering on existing sustainability targets, FCF continuously sets new ones, creating a pattern of delays and obfuscation,” the report states.
The U.K.-based NGO called on FCF to take “transparent, accountable, and enforceable actions” to address issues in the fishing industry.
“Our report exposes not only serious environmental and labor abuses but a cynical lack of transparency by FCF and a deeply worrying lack of action by the organizations created to monitor bad practices by fisheries,” Shark Guardian Founder Brendon Sing said in a statement.
FCF retorted, saying that the company quickly ...
