Our Justice Campaign
Eritara Aati Kiaerua died in March 2020 while working onboard a Taiwanese flagged commercial fishing vessel FV WIN FAR 636 as a fisheries observer. Four years on, his family are still searching for answers to his unexplained death at sea. The investigation into Eritara’s death by Kiribati authorities was fraught with inconsistencies and, to this day, Eritara’s family has yet to receive official worker compensation.
Through our justice campaign, we aim to change these circumstances through concerted advocacy and legal advisory support, alongside wide-ranging international awareness raising.
Eritara is not the only fisheries observer who has faced abuse at sea; nearly 20 fisheries observers have died or disappeared at sea in the last fifteen years alone. This statistic only includes the publicly reported incidents, while the actual total is remains unknown. This does not include cases of physical violence and other forms of abuse. Fisheries observers help ensure ocean sustainability by preventing illegal and unreported fishing (IUU) aboard commercial vessels, but the nature of this work can incite conflict onboard. Through Eritara’s story, we further aim to encourage state and international bodies to ratify essential policies that protect observers on the highat seas and deliver effective remedies where needed.
Speaking out publicly for the first time, Eritara’s wife Tekarara recounts her experiences leading up to and following her husband’s passing.
Informed by face-to-face interviews with relevant authorities, other Pacific fisheries observers, and Eritara’s sister, Nicky, the film highlights the risk observers face on the high seas and the uphill battles their families face in the event of a tragedy.
Death at Sea premiered in London in 2024 and has since screened globally and garnered festival nominations, including from the UK Royal Television Society. If you’re interested in hosting a private screening, we would love to work with you. Please contact us!