DAY ZERO
Environmental and Social Integration Event: 12:00 – 4:00 PM
To meet increasing demand and interest, The Alliance has designed a half-day session preceding the main agenda to explore the nexus between environmental and social accountability in the responsible seafood movement. This “Day Zero” session is intended for participants in the Alliance’s new Environmental and Social Integration Network as well as all conference attendees interested in fostering the promotion of workers’ rights and social accountability.
Social expert Pamela Wharton will facilitate this interactive session with guest speakers and experts. During our time together, the group will specifically explore how we can promote and develop more comprehensive approaches to ensuring responsible seafood, such as:
- Ensuring that fishers and fisher-led organizations have a seat at the table is critical to ensuring the sustainability of both environmental and social accountability practices. The session will provide an opportunity to hear directly from fishers on how they balance livelihoods, welfare, and environmental sustainability, and how they are organizing to strengthen their influence in global markets and public policies.
- There are several initiatives to promote the inclusion of electronic monitoring and Wi-Fi technologies on fishing vessels to combat both illegal fishing practices and human rights abuses. What does the research and current pilots tell us and how can we speak with one voice to promote the adoption of these technologies?
- Certifications and audits are one tool to promote responsible seafood however, they are not always as effective for identifying labor abuses. What complementary tools exist and can be developed to be used alongside audits to better identify labor abuses, promote fair livelihoods and workers’ rights, and ensure a more sustainable seafood sector?
Admission to Day Zero is included in your general conference registration fee, however, we do ask that you kindly using the form below by September 2 to assist with planning.
Facilitator
Pamela Wharton, Wharton Consulting (USA)
Part 1: 12:00 – 1:50 PM
Social Responsibility, Human + Labor Rights, Worker Voice
How do fisher-led organizations engage government and market actors? How do they propose to protect their rights and welfare? What challenges do they face? The Accountability Research Center collaborated with Confederación Mexicana de Cooperativas de Pesqueras y Acuícolas (CONMECOOP) in Mexico and fisher-led organizations in Ecuador, Ghana, Indonesia, and Thailand to learn from organizers in global seafood supply chains. This panel will share lessons learned from that and other case studies. The discussion will address how fishers balance livelihoods, welfare, and environmental sustainability, and how fishers are organizing to strengthen their influence in global markets and public policies.
Conversation led by Accountability Research Center and CONMECOOP
- Judy Gearhart, Senior Researcher, Accountability Research Center (USA)
- Romel Alberto Alcocer Diaz, Fisher, CONMECOOP (Mexico)
- Ilmar Josue Canul Reyes, Fisher, CONMECOOP (Mexico)
- Roman Antonio Can Pereda, Fisher, CONMECOOP (Mexico)
- José Luis Carrillo Galaz, Presidente, CONMECOOP (Mexico)
BREAK: 1:50 – 2:20 PM
Part 2: 2:20 – 4:00 PM
Certification; Social Responsibility, Human + Labor Rights, Worker Voice; Traceability
Certifications and audits are tools to promote responsible seafood, however, they aren’t always as effective for identifying labor abuses. What complementary tools exist and can be developed for use alongside audits to better identify labor abuses, promote fair livelihoods and workers’ rights, and ensure a more sustainable seafood sector?
Conversation led by FishChoice, Fish Standard for Crew, Global Seafood Alliance, and Fair Trade USA
Please complete this form to confirm your attendance at this session.
