Ika Makimaki
@pezmico@mastodon.nz  路  activity timestamp last week

This is the story of just one courageous fisheries observer willing to speak out.

We do not know the exact extent or frequency of situations like this, but it is certain that his experience was not unique. 馃悷

Greed and the profit motive are powerful incentives, the safety of onboard observers should be a priority. This is also why we need cameras on all fishing vessels. 馃摴

Bloody terror at sea sparks call for camera reform
newsroom.co.nz/2025/07/21/bloo
Tiota Sram
@tiotasram@kolektiva.social  路  activity timestamp last week
@pezmico the detail I love the most about this story is that when the *legally mandated observer* gets back and writes up the attempted bribe (plus fish dumping), the oversight agency says they won't move forward with legal action because there isn't enough evidence: it would be the observer's word against the captain's. That mostly defeats the entire purpose of an observer program if their reports aren't enough evidence to take action!
Sir Rochard 'Dock' Bunson
@SrRochardBunson@universeodon.com  路  activity timestamp last week
@pezmico Ban bottom trawling, too!

I was a biological observer on Alaska fishing boats ~20 years ago & had a frightening experience. It's a long story, but was threatened by the captain. I thought they may throw me overboard, but didn't even think to spread blood around. I definitely thought that they would just throw me overboard, if they were going to. So easy & his 2 crewmates had been working for him for decades.