The Apostleship of the Sea of the United States of America (AOS-USA), the professional association of Catholic Maritime Ministers, Cruise Ship Priests and Catholic Mariners which is centered on the needs of the people of the sea, expressed their concerns for Human Trafficking which persists in the Thai Fishing industry, and urged an end to it.
AOS-USA released a resolution which states that the use of human trafficked labor and slave labor impacts every shrimping family in America. The United States has enacted an anti-trafficking law and the United Nations adopted the Palermo Protocol. However though Thailand is a treaty ally of the United States, human trafficking issues persist in the country.
We are fundamentally opposed to any type of human trafficking and slave labor stated Captain Pietro Parravano, the AOS-USA Fishing Committee Chairperson, who is also a professional fisherman. With World Fisheries Day coming up on November 21, AOS-USA calls upon the United States Department of State to press the Government of Thailand to end slavery and human trafficking in the fishing and shrimp farming industry, and we call for the immediate release of British Activist, Andy Hall is who exposed alleged trafficking and slavery in the canned fruit and fishing industry and is now being held by the Thai Government for a defamation case.
AOS-USA encourages consumers not to purchase seafood products that utilize slave labor, stated Parravano. We encourage consumers to purchase seafood products that are not harvested using human trafficked labor and slavery. Rather, purchase seafood that has been harvested in an environmentally safe and sustainable manner.
About the Apostleship of the Sea of the United States of America
AOS-USA is a professional association of Catholic Port Chaplains, Catholic Mariners, Cruise Ship Priests, Seafarers’ Center Volunteers and Staff, and all who care about the needs of Seafarers and the work of the AOS. AOS-USA advocates for the rights of Mariners and all people of the sea, and provides Sacramental and Pastoral Care for them.
Contact: Miss Doreen M. Badeaux Secretary General, Apostleship of the Sea of the United States of America (AOS-USA) (409) 985-4545 or aosusa@sbcglobal.net