(Source: AP) Whole Foods has stopped buying seafood from those vessels until it’s clear the men are treated fairly. “It is completely unacceptable that the inhumane treatment of any workers, foreign or not, is legal under U.S. federal law,” Hirono said in a statement. If not, he said he would introduce legislation to protect the workers, who labor up to 22 hours a day. “I am confident that through this process we will ferret out any vessel from the fleet that is involved in forced labor, labor abuse or substandard working conditions and treatment of the crew,” said John Kaneko of the Hawaii Seafood Council. Kris Coffield, executive director of the Honolulu-based anti-trafficking group IMUAlliance, said he’s been receiving complaints from foreign fishermen for the past three or four years.

Source: Indian Express September 19, 2016 06:45 UTC