Alonso G, Marschke M. Blue boats in deep waters: how aspects of
IUU policy impact Vietnamese fish workers.
Marit Stud 2023;
22:14. [PMID:
37035260 PMCID:
PMC10072036 DOI:
10.1007/s40152-023-00303-7]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) polices in the Asia-Pacific region are impacting Vietnamese blue boats. We examine several aspects of IUU policy, including the effects of hardening marine borders in the Southeast Asian region and the increased surveillance of Vietnamese blue boats, to understand how such policies impact blue boat owners, captains, and workers. We find that under increased surveillance, fishers face greater precarity as they become subject to the legal and political actions of multiple states. When blue boats are caught outside Vietnamese waters, boat owners, captains, and workers face significant, albeit differentiated, livelihood challenges. We argue that policies designed to stop IUU or unsustainable fishing should also proactively address working conditions on blue boats; if not, policies may unwittingly cause problems for those directly involved in the industry, with hired workers facing particular hardships. For these reasons, Vietnam's IUU yellow card can also be seen as an opportunity for fisheries labor reforms.
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