CBP to Stop Shipments From Fijian Fishing Vessel Over Forced Labor Concerns

CBP issued a withhold release order for imported “seafood harvested by the Hangton No. 112, a Fijian flagged and owned fishing vessel,” CBP said in a news release. Effective Aug. 4, CBP will stop seafood from the vessel at all U.S. ports of entry, it said.

CBP said the WRO “against the longliner fishing vessel [is] based on information that reasonably indicates the use of forced labor in the vessel’s fishing operations.” Importers of the goods can either reexport the detained shipments or provide information to CBP to demonstrate the goods are not produced with forced labor. CBP said it found at least three indicators of forced labor during an investigation: “withholding of wages, debt bondage, and retention of identity documents.”