Men at work - migrant fishing crew in Newlyn.
There has been growing concern regarding the working conditions and safety of migrant fisher workers in the UK. The fishing industry is vital: the workers on which is relies are of central importance to government, retailers and producers.
Labour exploitation in the fishing sector is not simply a matter of individual bad actors; it is underpinned by legal and regulatory gaps. These gaps facilitate poor labour standards, limited inspections, and a lack of meaningful enforcement at sea.
Addressing these issues requires urgent reform. To achieve that, an understanding of the existing entry and immigration rules for migrant fishers is essential. From that understanding, we can make effective recommendations on how all workers employed in British vessels can access rights as workers.
FLEX’s report “Unravelling the nets: An examination of the seafarer visa policies and their impact on migrant fishers in the UK” addresses this knowledge gap by providing an in-depth analysis of the seafarer and fishing-related visa and entry clearance policies in the UK, and their specific impact on migrant fishers.
Alongside this report, FLEX has also produced a Policy Summary, which summarises the policy context and what changes must be explored as a matter of urgency.
