Modern day slavery Fishing Industry

Introduction 

Modern-day slavery is still a problem in many businesses across the world, especially the fishing sector. As consumers, we are frequently oblivious to the intricate processes and dynamics at work in the production and delivery of goods, including the exploitation of those who are vulnerable. To understand how contemporary slavery evolves within a certain business, an organizational thinking approach is required (Miller and Kuruvilla 2021). Identifying and analyzing the players and elements that contribute to this challenge, in addition to how they interact and affect others, is part of this process. For this project, we will concentrate on the fishing sector within Australia's borders. 

We will investigate the essential aspects of the system and discuss how they contribute to the growth of contemporary slavery in this business by gathering information from credible sources and constructing a systems map. Finally, the goal of this assignment is to increase awareness of this critical subject and emphasize the importance of continuing efforts to prevent modern-day slavery.

Australian Fishing Industry 

Australia has a vibrant fishing industry, which employs thousands of workers across various sectors. However, as with many industries around the world, there are concerns about the prevalence of modern-day slavery within the industry (Guenther and Collett 2021). In recent years, reports have emerged of workers being subjected to exploitative and abusive conditions, with some even being trafficked into Australia to work in the fishing industry against their will.

The Australian government has recognized these worries and has done whatever it may take to address them, including presenting regulations and projects pointed toward fighting advanced bondage. Be that as it may, because of the fishing business' perplexing nature, with an assortment of endless factors, tending to current servitude inside it stays a significant undertaking.

This task will research the advancement of contemporary subjection in the Australian fishing area utilizing framework thinking (Balch and Allain 2021). We will research how these factors consolidate to produce the circumstances that permit cutting-edge subjection to persevere by building a framework guide of the people and powers that participated in the area. Through this analysis, we will identify key factors and participants that contribute to the problem of modern-day slavery in the Australian fishing industry, as well as potential solutions.

Background 

Slavery in the modern era is a complicated and diverse issue involving a variety of issues such as economic, social, cultural, and political concerns. To understand contemporary slavery as an ethical issue, a system-thinking approach that considers the different players, variables, and relationships that contribute to the genesis and persistence of modern slavery is required (Molland and Robertson 2021). A strategy based on systems thinking recognizes that modern-day slavery is not a separate issue, but rather is inextricably linked to larger social, political, and economic systems.

This method allows us to investigate the fundamental frameworks and procedures that lead to contemporary slavery and to find viable solutions that might address the problem's basic causes (Macallister, Roe, and Haynes 2019).  We may move above simple solutions that focus exclusively on specific players or causes by adopting an approach based on systems thinking and instead build a more nuanced knowledge of the complex processes at work.

Several studies have emphasized the importance of approaching modern slavery as a moral problem from a system-thinking perspective. Some argue that the use of systems thinking is required to address the fundamental economic and societal institutions that allow contemporary slavery to exist (Campbell 2020). Similarly, there is a call to evaluate the many players and parties involved in global supply chains connected to contemporary slavery.

System Analysis and Thinking 

Systemic analysis & thinking is a method for understanding large systems by breaking them into smaller parts and evaluating their linkages and interactions (Allain 2018). It enables us to examine how many components and players are interrelated and how they add to the overall system's functioning. Systemic analysis & thinking will be utilized in the setting of modern slavery within the fishing sector to identify the major players, causes, and interactions that lead to the establishment and persistence of contemporary slavery in this industry (Amar, Chaudharu, and Chaudhary 2020).

We can build stronger and more comprehensive remedies to this problem if we comprehend its systemic character. We will utilize a range of techniques and approaches, including stakeholder evaluation and PESTLE examination, to gather information on the important players and components involved in modern slavery in the fishing sector to use systemic analysis and thinking in this research. This data will then be used to generate a systems map that depicts the connections and relationships between these elements (Gresser and Tickell 2020).

This map will serve as the foundation for our system analysis and will assist us in identifying the primary causes of contemporary slavery in this business (Cockayne and Scheyvens 2018). We may acquire a more detailed knowledge of the systemic character of contemporary slavery and more effective methods to solve it by investigating these factors and their interplay.

System analysis 

Actors 

Fishing business: Various participants in the fishing business include fishing firms, fish processors, and merchants. These actors are engaged in a variety of operations, including fishing, preparation, packaging, and marketing of fish and seafood goods.

Labour Brokers: Labour brokers function as go-betweens for the fishing sector and migrant laborers. They hire and provide labor for fishing boats and processing businesses (Zhu and Zhang 2020). These intermediaries have been shown to abuse migrant workers by demanding high fees and offering subpar housing and working circumstances.

Government: The government is responsible for regulating the fishing sector and ensuring that labor rules are observed. They oversee enforcing laws on fishing boats, ports, and processing companies. The government also aids survivors of modern-day slavery.

Consumers: By generating demand for seafood goods, consumers play an important role in the fishing business. They can influence fishing industry practices by purchasing sustainable and responsibly sourced items.

Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs): NGOs seek to safeguard migrant workers' rights and raise awareness about the subject of contemporary slavery in the fishing business (Macallister, Roe, and Haynes 2019) (Macallister, Roe, and Haynes 2019). They aid victims and work with the government to develop policies that tackle the problem.

Factors 

• Global seafood demand: Rising demand for seafood puts pressure on fishermen to raise output, resulting in unethical practices such as forced labor and human trafficking.
• Inadequate regulation and enforcement: Because the fishing business works in isolated places, it is difficult to monitor and implement labor regulations. Because of the absence of regulation and enforcement, modern-day slavery has thrived.
• Migrant workers are prone to exploitation because they are unfamiliar with their local culture, language, and system of justice (Davidson 2019). False promises of high salaries and working conditions frequently entice people into the fishing sector, only to find themselves stuck in a cycle of debt and forced labor.
• Corruption: Fraud in the fishing business allows migrant workers to be exploited by permitting illicit practices such as reported harvests and tax fraud. It also makes the government's ability to establish and enforce labor rules more difficult.
• Poverty: Poverty is a major motivator for people to look for work in the fishing sector, rendering them subject to exploitation. Migrant workers are frequently from low-income families, and the prospect of a better life and money leaves them vulnerable to false promises and unscrupulous recruiting practices.

How these actors and factors interact

• Labor recruiters may be used by fishing enterprises and seafood processors to hire migrant employees from nations with cheaper labor expenses. These recruiters may demand exorbitant fees and lock people in financial bondage, exposing them to abuse.
• Migrant fishermen may be promised fair salaries and working conditions, but they often find themselves working long hours in hazardous situations with inadequate compensation or time off (Allain and Balch 2019).
• Brokers may assist in the sale of seafood to buyers worldwide without disclosing the circumstances under which it was obtained or processed.
• Government authorities may find it difficult to manage the fishing sector, especially in international seas or where authority is ambiguous.
• Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) can increase awareness of the problem and put pressure on governments and corporations to act (Rigaudy and Guenther 2019).

Causes and consequences

• Causes: The fishing industry's great profitability, along with labor shortages and low labor costs in some countries, offers incentives for businesses to abuse vulnerable migrant workers. In certain nations, a lack of legislation and enforcement also allows for this abuse.
• Migrant laborers may be exposed to debt bondage, forced labor, and other types of exploitation as a result. This can result in bodily and psychological injury, as well as a lack of income and abuse of human rights (Armitage and Batman 2019). It also jeopardizes the fishing industry's stability and attempts to prevent trafficking in individuals and modern-day slavery.

Conclusion 

To summarise, the Australian fishing sector is subject to modern-day slavery owing to a variety of circumstances, including a lack of regulation, inadequate enforcement of laws, and a need for cheap labor. According to the study of system actors, the primary organizations engaged are fishing firms, labor recruiting agencies, and government departments. These actors collaborate to establish a dynamic in the business that promotes modern slavery. Worldwide demand for seafood, labor shortages, and limited legal protection for employees are all variables in the system.

The use of systems thinking has aided in identifying the complex network of causes and people engaged in modern slavery within the fishing business. Greater awareness of this system is required for the development of successful tactics to prevent contemporary slavery in industry. The fishing industry must address the underlying causes of modern slavery while also working to create a more open and ethical supply chain. To safeguard vulnerable people and guarantee that the sector runs in an ethical and environmentally friendly way, more laws and enforcement measures must be implemented.

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