Commercial fishing is one of the most dangerous occupations in the world, and the connection between crew welfare and fish welfare reveals how human and animal wellbeing are linked in fishing supply chains.
The nexus between fishing crew welfare and fish welfare is a genuinely important insight: fisheries with poor labour practices tend to also have poor fish welfare and sustainability outcomes. Exhausted, stressed, or coerced crews are less likely to apply careful fish handling, implement bycatch reduction measures, or report welfare and environmental violations. Addressing crew welfare through fair labour standards, safe working conditions, and elimination of forced labour improves not only human wellbeing but also the conditions under which fish are caught and handled. Seafood certification schemes that incorporate crew welfare alongside fish welfare and environmental sustainability represent the most comprehensive approach to fisheries ethics.