why now?
Human Rights
Human Rights
Does the seafood on your plate carry a legacy of human rights abuses? Seafood imported from overseas has been linked to labor abuse, human trafficking, and illegal fishing practices. Eating Oregon seafood is the best way to know that no one was harmed in the making of your meal.
Quick Facts
In 2021, Oregon received the highest amount of imported seafood from India (46%), China (24%), and Canada (20%) (Source)
In Oregon, 9 out of the 10 top seafood importing countries in 2021 are characterized as medium-high risk on the Global Slavery Index based on multiple metrics (Source)
As much as 17% of squid imported from China is processed with forced labor (Source)
Illegal seafood accounted for $2.4 billion (11%) in sales in 2019 (Source)
Oregon’s top seafood importer, China, has ranked as the top country whose policies are contributing to illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing (Source)
Research estimates that 1,800 pounds of wild-caught fish are stolen from global seas every second (Source)
The Oregon Ocean Cluster brings together policymakers, impact investors, funders, producers, nonprofits, researchers, creatives, and community organizers to accelerate solutions that advance policy and investment for sustainable blue food systems, and unlock actionable pathways toward a resilient, equitable food future.