Fishing industry abuses ‘not the norm’

The daughter of a trawlerman who drowned with four of his crew has claimed worker exploitation in Ireland’s fishing industry is the exception and not the norm.

Lia Ní Aodha wrote an open letter to mark her anger at claims of human trafficking, abuse, and modern-day slavery facing African and Asian fishermen on whitefish and prawn boats.

Gardaí, justice, and Government officials met on Thursday for the first time as part of a special taskforce to investigate the claims, which also involved migrant workers allegedly suffering sleep deprivation, inhuman hours, and low pay.

The response followed a report by The Guardian after a year-long investigation into workers’ rights in Ireland’s fishing industry.

Ms Ní Aodha hit out at links made between the controversy and the 2012 Tit Bonhomme trawler tragedy in Glandore Harbour, West Cork. The boat was skippered by her father, Michael Hayes, who died when the boat sank close to shore.

Kevin Kershaw, aged 21, also drowned on what was his maiden trip, along with three Egyptians, Wael Mohammed, 35, Attaia Shaban, 26, and Saied Ali Eldin, 23.

Ms Ní Aodha said she wrote the letter as it was difficult to deal with assumptions about the industry.

“While I am sure that it is unlikely that Ireland’s fishing industry has managed to remain immune to the possibility that issues of trafficking and abuse occur (indeed, unfortunately, I would imagine one would be hard pressed to find such an industry anywhere globally where such instances do not occur), I am equally sure that such instances are isolated and the exception rather than the norm,” Ms Ní Aodha said.

Marine accident investigators found the crew of the Tit Bonhomme may only have had four or five hours’ sleep on a 40-hour trip, but this was contradicted by the only surviving crewman during inquest hearings.

Concerns were also raised about safety training for the crew, and about lifesaving gear available only for five crew, with six on board.

Ms Ní Aodha said she was surprised by the allegations of conditions on Irish trawlers and claimed it was a generalisation. “Yes, unfortunately, there are undocumented crew members working in Ireland etching [sic] out a living as best as they can (just as there are many undocumented Irish in other parts of the world and have been for quite some time).

“However, in most cases they are doing so on the same basis as documented — Irish and non-Irish/ EU and non-EU.”

Following the controversy, an Egyptian fisherman, who has been working on Irish boats for two years and who earns €500 a week, was this week charged with immigration offences after being stopped at Union Hall pier in West Cork.

In April 2013, Jobs Minister Richard Bruton said he was aware of claims of fishermen working without permits or visas. He warned at the time about migrants in the country illegally, who may be enduring exploitative working conditions for fear of possible deportation.

The Migrants Rights Centre Ireland said it had reports of cases of human trafficking and undocumented workers in the fishing industry.