Alleging forced labor at sea, Indonesian fishermen sue Bumble Bee
Four Indonesian fishermen are suing U.S.-based seafood giant Bumble Bee. They allege they were trapped on Chinese-owned vessels, subject to beatings, and forced to work under inhumane conditions. The lawsuit, filed under the Trafficking Victims Protection Act, could set the precedent for holding major seafood companies accountable for forced labor in their supply chains.
Forced to work, trapped at sea
The fishermen, all from villages in Indonesia, report that captains subjected them to violent abuse and forbade them from leaving their vessels. They describe how captains beat them, denied them medical care, and trapped them in debt bondage—conditions that meet the legal definition of forced labor.
One plaintiff, Akhmad, says a captain struck him with a metal hook and forced him to keep working even after he suffered a deep leg injury. Another, Syafi’i, sustained severe burns, but captains refused him medical care and ordered him back to work to “pay for his food.” According to their attorneys, when the fishermen attempted to go on strike, captains threatened them with fines and further punishment.
The longline fishing vessels they worked on operated at sea for extended periods. This forced them to rely on supply ships to bring provisions and collect their catch. This system, called transshipment, makes it easier for abusive captains to keep workers trapped without oversight. The lawsuit argues that Bumble Bee knowingly profited from these exploitative conditions.
The Independent reports,
“Bumble Bee had been warned of inhumane conditions in its supply chain over the years. In 2020, accounts of abusive conditions and forced labor prompted the U.S. to halt imports from a Taiwan-based fishing vessel that reportedly supplied the global tuna trading company that acquired Bumble Bee Seafoods that same year.”
Despite these red flags, the lawsuit claims Bumble Bee continued sourcing tuna from vessels using exploitative labor practices. The plaintiffs seek compensation for their unpaid wages and abuse, as well as systemic reforms to prevent further forced labor.