Indonesian fishermen's historic lawsuit highlights sourcing risks

In March 2025, Bumble Bee Foods, a major US seafood processing company, was sued by Indonesian crew members for forced labor and human trafficking. This is the first time that a US seafood company has been sued over labor issues on board its ships, and it is said to be a "historic lawsuit."

The lawsuit, filed in federal court in California, alleges that Bumble Bee imports and sells seafood caught using forced labor in violation of the U.S. Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act (TVPRA).

The plaintiffs, fishermen, testified that they suffered serious human rights violations while on board Indonesian deep-sea fishing vessels, including non-payment of wages, harsh working conditions, violence, debt bondage, and inadequate food. According to the lawsuit, Bumble Bee has been sourcing seafood from vessels that used such labor for many years, and is accused of failing in its duty of care.

Bumble Bee is one of the largest tuna brands in the United States and supplies a wide range of products to international markets, including Japan. Ensuring transparency in the supply chain and human rights due diligence are becoming increasingly important internationally, and this lawsuit strongly demonstrates to the global seafood industry that indifference to the working conditions of its suppliers poses legal risks.

In recent years, legislation on human rights due diligence, which requires companies to address human rights violations in their supply chains, has been progressing mainly in Europe and the United States. In particular, companies involved in imports and exports are in urgent need of establishing a system to rigorously check the working conditions on fishing boats from which they procure and the traceability of the catch.

This is not just a concern for Japanese seafood distribution companies. Even large companies like Bumble Bee face the risk of litigation, and if a similar problem were to be discovered by a Japanese company's business partner, it could lead to a loss of international credibility and the interruption of trade flows. We are now in an era where ensuring sustainability, including not only the sustainability of marine resources but also the health of working environments, is directly linked to a company's competitiveness and business continuity.

Bumble-Learning from the Bee Company lawsuit: what Japanese companies should do

The recent lawsuit against Bumble Bee has highlighted the reality that human rights issues at the source of seafood procurement are directly linked to corporate risks. Japanese companies are no longer indifferent to this issue, and are required to take the following measures.

1. Supplier risk assessment and understanding of working conditions
First and foremost, it is important to investigate and evaluate in advance whether the working conditions of business partners and suppliers (especially deep-sea fishing vessels and overseas processing plants) comply with international standards. In addition to on-site visits and third-party audits, it is also effective to utilize reports from NGOs and international organizations, and information from local media.

2. Strengthening supply chain traceability
Without a system that can trace back which ship, where, and how the fish were caught and processed, companies will not be able to avoid responsibility if a problem is discovered. Building traceability on a product-by-product basis is essential.

3. Establishment and disclosure of a corporate human rights policy
Companies are required to formulate and disclose human rights and procurement policies that clearly state their corporate activities with respect for human rights. It is desirable for the policies to comply with international frameworks (such as the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights), and it is important that they cover the supply chain. Companies should also carefully share their policies with their suppliers, and it is effective to introduce contracts or memoranda requiring compliance as necessary.

4. Establishment of a complaint handling and reporting system
A grievance mechanism that allows frontline workers to anonymously report issues
It goes without saying that it is important to maintain the following:

5. Corrective and Remedial Measures
It is necessary to establish a system for responding promptly and sincerely to reported matters. If there is any violation of workers' rights, such as nonpayment of wages or violence, appropriate relief measures will be implemented immediately and corrective measures will be taken, such as stopping the behavior, while at the same time, measures to prevent recurrence will be put in place.

6. Collaboration with NGOs and professional organizations
If it is difficult to grasp the actual situation on-site or to carry out an audit, it is also effective to cooperate with NGOs or third-party certification bodies that are knowledgeable about labor issues. By bringing in an external perspective, it is possible to quickly identify risks that a company alone would tend to overlook.

My Feelings, Then and Now

Seafood is a natural resource, but it is also a product that is "caught, grown, and processed by humans." Therefore, companies have a responsibility to consider both the environment and human rights. In the United States and the EU, import bans on products suspected of using forced labor are being strengthened, and addressing human rights risks throughout the supply chain will increasingly become a prerequisite for international trade in the future.

We are now in an era where Japanese seafood distribution companies can no longer excuse themselves by saying, "I didn't know" or "It's nothing to do with us." To become trusted business partners, now is the time to review our procurement systems and build systems for human rights due diligence.

(reference)
The lawsuit filed by Indonesian fishermen isclick here