Hawaii Fishermen Work in ‘Floating Prisons’

A federal loophole is enabling hundreds of undocumented fishermen to legally work in Hawaii without basic labor protections, according to a new report published by the Associated Press. The months-long investigation contends that many of the men—who do not have visas—work legally for as little as 70 cents an hour and aren’t allowed to set foot on shore. The men catch seafood that ends up in elite restaurants, as well as markets like Whole Foods. “You get that sort of feeling that it’s like gaming the system,” Forest O’Neill, who monitors the boats in Honolulu, told the AP. “It’s a shock. It becomes normal, but it’s like, ‘How is this even legal? How is this possible?’ ... They are like floating prisons.”