Martin Thurley - Six-Month Snapshot - Aug '24
Following a busy six months and with our attention now turning to our annual summit in Bangkok, we wanted to take a moment to reflect on our collective achievements.
A decade ago, the seafood industry faced a crisis of confidence amid widespread reports of human rights abuses and environmental degradation in global supply chains. Today, that landscape looks markedly different - a transformation catalysed, in part, by the creation of the Seafood Task Force and our coalition of committed stakeholders.
To this day our mission remains unchanged: to support and develop a fully traceable, ethically sourced, and environmentally sustainable seafood ecosystem that meets the highest global standards. Accomplishing this requires a comprehensive roadmap adopted through a coalition of the willing across the supply chain.
Annual audits are no longer sufficient for many of our members. We have gone deeper, implementing our annual oversight and continuous improvement programme centred around supply chain mapping, risk assessments, remediation plans and leveraging business influence. Rigour and pragmatism are essential - it's not perfect it is iterative progress.
2024 has already seen the STF expand its reach, with our first-ever India Summit in April attended by leading producers accounting for approximately 80% of the country’s shrimp production. Eleven Indian organisations and six international entities sourcing from India have already teamed up to undertake supply chain mapping - a crucial first step to get a baseline understanding and identify risk areas. Boots on the ground are critical as we follow the same trajectory as our work in Thailand.
Speaking of Thailand, we continue collaborating with the new government to uphold and strengthen ethical labour reforms. Political winds may shift, but our resolve does not. Safeguarding transparency and preventing backsliding remains paramount, backed by international consensus.
And that's not to mention our ground-breaking vessel safety training programme for fishing workers. This countrywide effort is aimed at enhancing the health and safety of Thai and Burmese fishermen working on Thai vessels. Click here to read more.
Environmental sustainability is equally vital. The STF draft Aquaculture Code of Conduct marks progress in protecting natural habitats and driving sustainable farming practices. More than 100 social, traceability and environmental assessments are planned across major sourcing regions over the next 24 months. 66 of those will take place in Thailand and 98 in India, Indonesia and Vietnam.
Compliance, however, is not an end state - it's an ever-evolving journey of continuous improvement. That's why capacity building is core to the STF's approach. Our pioneering Responsible Recruitment Program and industry-first Farmer Training curriculum equip workers and producers with the skills needed for an ethical supply chain. Grievance mechanisms empower self-reporting of issues.
Innovation emerges from different pathways, not one-size-fits-all solutions. By plotting clear goals, developing realistic timelines and fostering an ecosystem of collaboration, we are creating a new culture of compliance that builds market confidence to trade.
Transformational change takes time, but the measurable milestones validate our approach. I'm proud of the STF's accomplishments, but we cannot lose momentum. And we have to move faster. There's more work ahead as we enhance accountability, deepen oversight and expand training initiatives. The seafood industry will be judged by actions, not words. And our actions speak volumes.