UK charity calls on Government to do more for ‘modern slaves’ in fishing industry

LEICESTER, United Kingdom – After a television documentary accused a Scottish fishing company of modern-day slavery, a major Catholic charity is calling on Britain’s Home Office to do more to protect people in the fishing industry.

BBC One Scotland this week aired a documentary accusing the TN Trawlers fishing company of modern-day slavery and people trafficking.  Several former TN Trawlers workers were interviewed for the documentary Slavery at Sea, which claimed between 2012 and 2020, the UK Home Office officially recognized 35 individuals from the Philippines, Ghana, India, and Sri Lanka as victims of modern slavery after their cases were referred for review. These workers had been employed by TN Trawlers, headquartered in Annan, a small town on Scotland’s southern coast.

the BBC said the three-year investigation by Disclosure “uncovers allegations of modern slavery aboard UK fishing vessels.”

“Reporter Chris Clements hears the stories of migrant workers who came to these shores in search of a better life, only to find hardship and misery. And he explores a world-wide web of exploitation which puts profit before people,” the BBC added in a statement.

The TN Group has consistently denied any accusations of modern slavery or human trafficking, asserting that their employees were treated well and compensated fairly.

Catholic maritime welfare charity Stella Maris – formerly known as Apostleship of the Sea – is calling on the UK Home Office to work to protect maritime employees.

Stella Maris CEO Tim Hill said the charity has been supporting people in the fishing industry who are caught up in slavery and labor exploitation for over ten years, providing humanitarian and pastoral support, including shelter, food, clothing and financial assistance, as well as signposting them to other organizations for legal and professional advice.

“We are delighted to see the BBC broadcast this program bringing some much-needed awareness of a deeply troubling issue,” he said.

Hill said that while the vast majority of fishing companies looked after and treated their employees well, those victims identified were invariably from developing countries and were suffering at the hands of a minority of unscrupulous employers.

He said Stella Maris has reported several cases to the police over the years, but found prosecutions “painfully slow,” with victims left in limbo in the UK while their cases are assessed.

“Stella Maris is engaged with a number of agencies in calling for greater urgency in dealing with cases. It is unacceptable to allow these cases of slavery to drift for years on end,” Hill said.

“It is sending all the wrong signals to rogue employers that think they can behave with relative impunity. Some fishers are stuck in the UK for years, not seeing their families while they wait for justice that may or may not come.  A successful prosecution is necessary to deter appalling and illegal mistreatment of fishers,” he continued.

“This is an invisible crime, taking place out of sight at sea,” he added.

“The authorities and welfare organizations must get better at recognizing what modern-day slavery is, reporting it and supporting swift criminal prosecutions against those few bad operators,” Hill said.

He said Stella Maris continues to provide care for a small number of people in the fishing industry who have fled their vessels.

“I am in awe of the exceptionally hard work and commitment that my chaplains and volunteers have invested in supporting these people, often going over and above the call of duty, and for that I am humbled and extremely grateful,” Hill said, adding due to ongoing legal process, the Catholic charity is unable to name the men or the accused.

“Escaping the vessel is the last resort for fishers who are terrified of losing their ability to work, so we still do not know the size of the problem among the 2500 or so foreign fishers in the UK,” he said.

“And while Stella Maris and our sister charities provide much-needed welfare and financial support for fishers who have escaped, it is critical that law enforcement agencies do more to tackle fisher abuse and slavery, which may require more investment to reinforce their people working tirelessly on the frontline,” he said.

Stella Maris is due to publish its first report on Modern Day Slavery at Sea in Britain later this year.

Follow Charles Collins on X: @CharlesinRome