The Fishing Industry Association of Papua New Guinea (FIA PNG) has disclosed non-conformities identified during a crew welfare certification process, collaborating with Australian universities to analyze data and discuss the real-life conditions of tuna fleet workers.

The case study -- a first for the industry, according to the FIA -- compares government enforcement roles with certification programs, particularly the International Labor Organization's Fishing Convention (ILO C188). It can be found in full here.

The research, conducted in partnership with the Australian National Centre for Ocean Resources & Security and the University of Wollongong, examines lessons from third-party audits on social accountability certification and its role in improving fishing crew welfare.

The findings suggest that, while formal governance is essential, private certification programs like the Fairness, Integrity, Safety, and Health (FISH) standard can complement regulatory efforts. The study highlights common compliance challenges, industry responses, and areas requiring further scrutiny by policymakers and industry players.

There are areas where data about living and working conditions onboard and tuna industrial players remains unavailable, said FIA.

"The aim of sharing this paper is not just to highlight the good performance of the FIA PNG tuna fleet has achieved regarding ILOC188 and labor rights; it is also to highlight the gaps so that tuna Industry players can directly invest in improvements," said FIA PNG's COO, Marcelo Hidalgo.