Hawaii agency opposes rule change for foreign fishermen

FILE - In this March 23, 2016, file photo, a Honolulu Fish Auction worker receives fish from a U.S. fishing vessel crewed by foreign fishermen at Pier 38 in Honolulu. In a posting dealing with undocumented foreign fishermen in Hawaii, the state Department of Aquatic Resources is recommending that a board deciding on rule changes for commercial fishing licenses deny the petition. (AP Photo/Caleb Jones, File) FILE - In this March 23, 2016, file photo, a Honolulu Fish Auction worker receives fish from a U.S. fishing vessel crewed by foreign fishermen at Pier 38 in Honolulu. In a posting dealing with undocumented foreign fishermen in Hawaii, the state Department of Aquatic Resources is recommending that a board deciding on rule changes for commercial fishing licenses deny the petition. (AP Photo/Caleb Jones, File)

By Associated Press October 13, 2016 4 min read

HONOLULU (AP) – A group of Hawaii residents want to change local rules for issuing commercial fishing licenses and make the process more transparent after an Associated Press investigation found that hundreds of undocumented fishermen work in the fleet.

A federal loophole allows the foreign men to work but exempts them from most basic labor protections, and some residents are concerned that state rules offer little transparency and leave workers in the dark.

State and federal lawmakers promised to improve conditions for the foreign crews, and at least one company stopped buying fish from the boats immediately following the AP investigation.

The petition asks for rule changes that include certifying that license applicants understand and have read the paperwork they are signing, but a state agency recommends the changes not be implemented.

The foreign fishermen who work in the fleet often do not read, write or understand English and therefore cannot legitimately agree to terms of the license, petitioners said Wednesday.