Dear Asean, modern slavery at sea is worsening on your watch: Jakarta Post contributors

A fishing boat (left) heads out to sea at dawn in Lhokseumawe, Aceh. - AFP

JAKARTA/SINGAPORE (The Jakarta Post/Asia News Network): Forced labour and human trafficking within the industry persist as acute problems and are intricately connected to illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing (IUU fishing) as fisheries crime threatens marine ecosystems and fish stocks, which adversely impacts food security and sustainable fishing in coastal communities around the world, as indicated by ILO.

Fishers are often trapped in situations that include debt bondage, long hours working overtime, verbal, physical, and sexual abuse, deception, and abuse of vulnerability. Many have ended up dead because of these horrible situations.