seafood

Updates on Akhmad, et al. v. Bumble Bee Foods: Moving Towards Justice on the High Seas

Updates on Akhmad, et al. v. Bumble Bee Foods: Moving Towards Justice on the High Seas

In March 2025, four Indonesian fishers filed a lawsuit in California against Bumble Bee Foods, a major U.S. tuna company. The fishers claimed Bumble Bee had violated the prohibition on forced labor under the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act (TVPRA). 

On November 12, 2025, a district court allowed the case against Bumble Bee Foods to continue beyond the motion to dismiss stage. This is an important decision, making it more likely that the four plaintiff fishers – who faced severe deprivation and abuse while out at sea – will eventually receive a remedy. 

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In November 2024, CAL and the SSA submitted a petition to the FTC to enjoin BAP for its misleading and deceptive advertising practices.

In November 2024, CAL and the SSA submitted a petition to the FTC to enjoin BAP for its misleading and deceptive advertising practices.

BAP is a third-party certification scheme that claims to certify each step of the aquaculture production chain, including farm, feed, hatcheries, and processing facilities. BAP touts itself as being one of the “easiest ways to know that your seafood was produced in a safe, responsible, and ethical way.” In reality, BAP-certified shrimp production processes are rife with labor and environmental abuses.

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