Summary

Following the report devoted to the rights of agricultural workers and the paradoxical challenge they face in realizing their right to food, the present report examines two aspects of fishery workers’ rights:

1. the essential role that fishery workers play in contributing to the food security and nutrition of others, and
2. the unique barriers they face to the enjoyment of their own human rights, specifically the right to food.

The report focuses on vulnerable groups of fishery workers who are in need special protection from human rights violations. Women, children, migrant workers and indigenous communities face the most severe forms of exploitation, such as human trafficking and forced labour. Indigenous and coastal populations, who rely on fisheries for their livelihoods, face unique challenges as well.

In his report, the Special Rapporteur outlines the obligations of States to improve human rights protection for fishery workers. The report calls on contributions from the private sector, international and regional organizations, as well as consumers, to do their part to enable fishery workers to enjoy the right to food in a changing global food system.