Abstract

Abuses and slavery at sea are largely missing from narratives of work and environmental exploitation in the mainstream. This book shines a light on the exploitation of fish and fishers alike in a global industry driven by profits.

Conservation and human rights in this industry are huge problems: with vast overprovision of vessels and shortages of fish, labour costs are targeted and young men are trafficked from poor areas onto vessels in virtual slavery. The resultant poverty and debt bonding pushes many towards trafficking drugs and piracy - although the criminality linked to the industry extends far beyond the level of the individual, vessel or fleet.

Using first hand testimony and shocking examples of these abuses, the book uncovers these crimes and injustices, with the authors arguing for regulations which if implemented could protect the rights of fishers across the board.
'A passionate and devastating critique that deserves a wide readership'
Nautilus International Telegraph
'Fishers and Plunderers is a must read for policy makers, scholars, activists and students concerned with universal human rights at sea and the moral imperative to protect vulnerable people'
Aldo Chircop
'Alastair has exposed the dirty secret of human rights abuse that borders on genocide of innocent young fishers in an industry infested with criminality where the flag state is absent or where it is victim and culprit at the same time. This book is a challenge to our humanity, a call for action to reverse this onslaught on our blue planet, and for policies of reason to replace the state of denial that is currently the nature of this troubled industry'
Dr Awni Behnam, Honorary President, International Ocean Institute, Former United Nations Assistant Secretary General
'Excellent'
Counterpunch
'Within it are riches and horror'
Rose George, New Statesman
'This is yet another brilliant work not to be missed from Professor Couper. It is a compelling work on fishers brilliantly written for a wide audience - from policy makers, universities, training institutions, human rights groups to the consumers of fish'
Dr. Sabirin Ja’afar, Judicial Commisioner, High Court, Malaysia.
'The authors manage to convey a righteous anger that is all the more powerful for being restrained, analytical and supported by both data and personal testimony. This is a necessary book for all who care about the sea and the lives of those who work on it'
International Journal of Maritime History