Climate
US brand StarKist suspends tuna sourcing from vessels accused of exploiting Indonesian fishers
Publication: Conservation news
Authors: Yenni Kwok, Basten Gokkon
Source published: 11/11/2026, 12:39:25 UTC
Briefing created: 11/11/2026, 13:09:37 UTC
Based on a feed excerpt; full article content has not been acquired. Source evidence retrieved 11/11/2026, 12:54:24 UTC.
Briefings
U.S. brand StarKist suspended purchases from fishing vessels linked to forced labor practices following an Indonesian migrant fishers’ union demand for a binding labor agreement. StarKist hired an independent third-party firm to investigate after an Indonesian migrant fishers’ union demanded a binding labor agreement with the company. The brand accounts for 42% of the U.S. market share of processed tuna imports, making its sourcing practices significant for the wider industry. StarKist, owned by South Korean seafood giant Dongwon Industries, sells Pacific albacore tuna in the United States.
Key points
- StarKist suspended purchases from fishing vessels linked to forced labor practices following an Indonesian migrant fishers’ union demand for a binding labor agreement.
- StarKist hired an independent third-party firm to investigate after an Indonesian migrant fishers’ union demanded a binding labor agreement with the company.
Context
StarKist, owned by South Korean seafood giant Dongwon Industries, sells Pacific albacore tuna in the United States and accounts for 42% of the U.S. market share of processed tuna imports. The brand suspended purchases from vessels linked to forced labor practices following an Indonesian migrant fishers’ union demand for a binding labor agreement. The company hired an independent third-party firm to investigate after an Indonesian migrant fishers’ union demanded a binding labor agreement with the company.
Limitations
Evidence is limited to a single statement from StarKist's head of global sustainability and a report by GLJ and FOSPI-PMFU. No specific dates for the investigation or probe results are provided. No causal claims regarding the extent of violations are supported beyond reported allegations. No additional background on StarKist's supply chain or other brands is supplied.
Generated by Bittrees-hosted qwen35-2b sha256:aaf42c8b7c3c on 11/11/2026, 13:09:37 UTC. Based on publisher-provided feed evidence; may not cover the full original article. Check the source for details.
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