HONOLULU — A Hawaii committee has advanced a bill that seeks to provide more oversight of the commercial fishing industry after an Associated Press investigation found hundreds of foreign fishermen confined to boats and some living in subpar conditions. ADVERTISING
HONOLULU — A Hawaii committee has advanced a bill that seeks to provide more oversight of the commercial fishing industry after an Associated Press investigation found hundreds of foreign fishermen confined to boats and some living in subpar conditions.
The proposal advanced Tuesday by the House Committee on Ocean, Marine Resources and Hawaiian Affairs would require fishing boat owners who want a commercial license to provide a copy of employment contracts with every fisherman on board before the state grants a license.
Rep. Kaniela Ing says that without access to employment contracts, there’s no way to check whether fishermen are getting what they were promised, even if what they agreed to is horrendous.
Jim Cook of the Hawaii Longline Association says people agree to unfair contracts every day. He questions whether it’s the state’s responsibility to interfere in business between an individual and a company.
