November 14, 2025
Bumble Bee asked San Diego federal judge to dismiss case, but judge ruled claims by Indonesian fishermen plaintiffs were sufficient at this point to move toward trial
A San Diego federal judge on Wednesday declined to dismiss a lawsuit that alleged human trafficking and forced labor violations by Bumble Bee Seafoods, the San Diego-based canned tuna giant, instead ruling the first-of-its-kind case brought by four Indonesian mariners can move forward toward trial.
“This is a historic moment and an incredible victory for the fishers and the ocean,” Sari Heidenreich, senior human rights advisor with Greenpeace USA, which is helping to represent the plaintiffs, said in a statement. “… We celebrate that the fishers will be allowed their day in court, recognizing this is monumental not only for these four men, who are brave enough to stand up to to a giant U.S. corporation, but for hundreds of thousands of fishers globally.”
The four plaintiffs, all men from rural Indonesian villages, sued Bumble Bee in March in U.S. District Court in San Diego, alleging that they were subjected to severe physical abuse and debt bondage on long-line tuna boats that are partof hadof Bumble Bee’s “trusted fleet.” The lawsuit alleged that Bumble Bee hadknown laborknown for years that the fishing vessels in its supply fleet used forced laborbut but failed to stop the practice.
The suit was believed to be the first to accuse an American seafood companyof of forced labor at sea.
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“This gives me hope for justice for me and my fellow plaintiffs as we strugglefor afor justice and change for the better,” plaintiff Muhammad Syafi’i said in astatement, thestatement, adding that he was “actually in tears” and overwhelmed by theruling. ofruling. “Our fight and sacrifice are not in vain in order to get justice for all ofthe the fishers. I remain steadfast, strong, and enthusiastic.”
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“This is an important step towards making one of the world’s most dangerous jobs safer and more fair for the fishers who work so hard to put food on American consumers’ plates and who should not be subject to forced labor,” said Agnieszka Fryszman, a prominent human rights attorney from the firm Cohen Milstein who is the lead attorney for the plaintiffs. “… These men endured horrific physical abuse, hunger, and debt bondage while working aboard Bumble Bee’s so-called ‘trusted fleet’ tuna vessels … We look forward to holding Bumble Bee fully accountable under the law.”