US blocks seafood from Fiji ship accused of enslaving crew

US customs and border officials determined there was credible evidence that the fishing vessel operated by a Chinese national was subjecting crew members to conditions defined as forced labour by international standards.

A tuna fishing boat based in the Pacific island nation of Fiji that has been accused of essentially enslaving its crew was blocked on Wednesday from importing seafood into the United States, part of an increasing effort to keep goods produced with forced labour from entering the country. US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) issued an order to stop any shipments in American ports from the Hangton 112, a longliner operated by a Chinese national, after the agency determined there was credible evidence that the crew was subjected to conditions defined as forced labour under international standards. It’s the latest in a series of such orders targeting Asian fishing vessels amid reports that crews made up largely of vulnerable migrant workers from poorer countries are subjected to horrific conditions by operators travelling farther at sea and for longer periods as fish populations decline worldwide.