Jon Eis B.C.’s Trawl Fishery Whistleblower
The Narwhal | 2020
Jon eis was one of 11 current or former fisheries observers who came forward to speak to the abuses observers face out at sea. Fisheries observers are responsible for monitoring bycatch on industrial trawlers off the b.C. Coast. Bottom trawl fishing involves dragging a net through the seabed, harvesting a variety of fish that live near the bottom of the ocean, including pacific cod, hake, rockfish and pollock.
Yet an imperfect system means observers — whose reports could result in a shut down of a boat or the entire industry — are vulnerable to intimidation from ship skippers and crew members. Not enough is being done to protect them from this harassment while at sea, which results in the vast and systematic under-reporting of deep-sea fish harvested.
