Greenpeace USA Declares “Big Seafood Kills Oceans and Workers” with Banner at Major Seafood Trade Expo

Source: Greenpeace Statement –

Calls on Multibillion Dollar Industry to End Isolation at Sea

BOSTON (March 16, 2026) — Today, Greenpeace USA activists unfurled a banner at the Boston Seafood Expo that reads “Big Seafood Kills Oceans and Workers.” ¹ Big Seafood—the large corporations that dominate the global seafood supply chain, from industrial fishing fleets and traders to major brands and retailers—has consistently been linked to overfishing, destructive fishing methods, and widespread labor abuses, including forced labor and deaths at sea. 

At least 128,000 fishers worldwide are victims of forced labor, which is strongly connected to other fisheries-related crimes, such as illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing. These activities significantly contribute to the worsening of the ocean and climate crises. The industry has been shaken by exposés, investigations, and reports detailing systemic abuse over the years.

The Greenpeace network is calling on Big Seafood to end isolation at sea by:

1. Ensuring fishers have free, accessible, and secure Wi-Fi 
2. Limiting time at sea to three months; and
3. Mandating 100% human observer or electronic monitoring coverage on fishing vessels. 

Today, the activists called on corporations in the multi-billion-dollar industry to protect oceans and protect workers by ending isolation at sea. The banner reveal occurred at the sector’s largest gathering in North America, coinciding with the launch of Greenpeace USA’s fourth edition of the High Cost of Cheap Tuna report. The report finds that most of the 16 supermarkets evaluated in the latest review period are failing on labor rights and on sustainability.

Sari Heidenreich, Senior Human Rights Advisor, Global Fisheries, Greenpeace USA, who attended the Expo said: “Big Seafood is fueling multiple crises at sea. They are denying fishermen fundamental human rights, draining our oceans of fish, and destroying ecosystems, all while reaping the profits from their devastation. Cheap tuna should never come at such a high cost. Modern slavery cannot be business-as-usual—and neither should the killing of thousands of sharks, turtles, and seabirds as bycatch. This industry, earning over $350 billion annually, has known these realities and has done too little for too long. Big Seafood must act now to end isolation at sea.”

The banner included a giant pair of fishermen’s boots symbolic of the thousands of workers in the industry trapped in conditions of modern slavery or who suffer fishing-related deaths and injuries each year. Life-size models of turtles and sharks, representing the thousands of sea creatures that are frequently killed as bycatch by the industry’s destructive fishing practices, were also exhibited at the protest.

Multiple other Greenpeace campaigners who registered for the event were denied entry to the venue. Greenpeace USA has traditionally attended the convention, which is a key convening space for stakeholders in the seafood industry. 

In Greenpeace USA’s retailer scorecard, Whole Foods emerged at the top for the first time, largely due to its new Seafood Code of Conduct, which takes several key steps to address forced labor issues within its supply chain. Aldi and Hy-Vee, which previously held top rankings, slipped in this assessment due to decreased federal & local advocacy during this evaluation period than in previous years. 

Heidenreich continued: “Whole Foods’ new seafood code of conduct takes promising steps to address forced labor risks, and we are eagerly watching to see how Whole Foods will monitor and enforce it. Yet, the policy itself still falls short of the systemic change needed. Limiting time at sea to 3-months is one of the most effective ways to protect workers, yet Whole Foods’ policy still allows for an extensive 11 months.

“Big Seafood’s problem isn’t a lack of awareness or tools—it’s a lack of action. For too long, companies have relied on distance and complex supply chains to avoid accountability for the crises they have created. That era is ending. Big Seafood should take this moment as a wake-up call to prioritize protecting workers and oceans, not lining their pockets with blood money.”

Freedom of association and access to unions for workers are key enabling rights to ensure a strong worker voice and protections across the various stages of the supply chain. It is essential to have accessible, secure, and responsive grievance mechanisms, including those available at sea. 

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Notes: 

¹ “Big Seafood” refers to the large corporations that dominate the global seafood supply chain—from industrial fishing fleets and traders to major brands and retailers. Through their market power, these companies shape fishing practices and labor conditions across a seafood industry worth more than $350 billion globally, which has been linked to overfishing, destructive fishing methods, and widespread labor abuses, including forced labor at sea.

Contacts:

Tanya Brooks, Senior Communications Specialist at Greenpeace USA, +1 703 342 9226. [email protected]  

Greenpeace USA Press Desk: [email protected] Greenpeace USA (inc.) is part of a global network of independent campaigning organizations that use peaceful protest and creative communication to expose global environmental problems and promote solutions that are essential to a green and peaceful future. Greenpeace USA is committed to transforming the country’s unjust social, environmental, and economic systems from the ground up to address the climate crisis, advance racial justice, and build an economy that puts people first. Learn more at www.greenpeace.org/usa.