Something’s fishy in Hawaii
Boat carrying fishermen runs aground
HONOLULU — A boat that ran aground off Honolulu while transporting foreign fishermen to work in Hawaii’s commercial fishing industry has raised new questions about the safety and working conditions for foreign laborers in this unique U.S. fleet.
A long, cramped journey to the United States for a group of fishermen from Vietnam, Indonesia, Philippines and Kiribati ended with a U.S. Coast Guard rescue last week after their fishing vessel smashed into a reef just off Waikiki’s shore.
A 2016 Associated Press investigation revealed the Hawaii fleet exploits a loophole in federal law to employ men from impoverished Southeast Asian and Pacific nations for a fraction of the pay an American worker would get. Some make as little as 70 cents an hour.
The men do not have authorization to enter the United States, so they are confined to boats while docked in Honolulu and not eligible for most basic labor protections. The AP report revealed instances of abuse and claims of human trafficking among the fleet.
When the Pacific Paradise ran aground just before midnight Oct. 10, it did not call for help, the Coast Guard said. The 79-foot boat carried 19 foreign men and a captain, who officials say was the only U.S. citizen aboard. Witnesses saw the wreck, and authorities raced to rescue the men with jet skis, boats and a helicopter.
The 20 men were at sea for at least 12 days before they crashed, the minimum time it would take to get from American Samoa to Hawaii, according to two fishing industry experts.
Once safe, the men met U.S. customs officials and were escorted to a pier to begin work on other boats. Customs officials deny entry to foreign workers, but Hawaii uses federal forms stamped “refused” as proof that they are legally allowed to work after going through customs and therefore can be given fishing licenses, the AP found.
But there were not licenses for some on the boat.
“The issue isn’t whether or not there’s evidence that they’re being trafficked, it’s that there’s no evidence to the contrary,” Hawaii state Rep. Kaniela Ing said. “There’s nothing saying these folks are here legally and aren’t being exploited because there’s no record.”