"Canada’s importation of seafood supports labour abuse," 5 Jan. 2023

Unacceptable working conditions are ubiquitous in many global fisheries. These include extreme physical demands over long hours without adequate food and water, coercion through misleading or false work agreements, little pay if any, an inability to leave at will, and even physical, psychological and sexual violence.

In some cases, working conditions amount to forced labour.

... In 2022, [Canada's] Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans produced a report recommending that the federal government implement a “boat-to-plate” traceability program, arguing that it would help identify where problems exist along the supply chain. However, no bill has been introduced to Parliament to legislate such an initiative, leaving consumers in the dark.

... [U]nder the new free trade agreement with Mexico and the U.S., it’s already illegal to import goods produced by forced labour into Canada. However, the “forced labour import ban” is not being adequately enforced in Canada. Since it came into effect in 2020, only one shipment of goods has been seized under the ban. It was later released after the company challenged the decision.

... Canada must also take additional steps toward addressing forced labour and other abuses in fishing by imposing human rights and environmental due diligence obligations on companies, as Bill C-262, the proposed act regarding the corporate responsibility to prevent, address and remedy adverse impacts on human rights and the environment in their supply chains, would do. For Canadian importers – including seafood importers – this would entail taking rigorous action to rid their supply chains of abuses, like forced labour, or risk being held liable in a Canadian court.