Safe Catch
Lacks transparency. Publishes some details, but doesn't show its workers are paid and treated fairly.
Last researched 23 October 2026 · 6 sources
US brand of mercury-tested canned and pouched tuna, salmon and sardines.
There's no proof Safe Catch pays more than the legal minimum, which in Thailand is below a living wage, and it has no full independent audit.
Other canned and pouched fish brands
Nothing we've rated in canned and pouched fish is better than Lacks transparency yet.
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Why it's graded Lacks transparency
- Not met: Meets 1 of 6 Good requirements.
- Holds the grade back: It has 2 red flags: no evidence of a living wage and unaudited production in high-risk countries. Two or more red flags means a poor grade.
- It isn't Harm on record, because there's no serious confirmed problem on its record.
- Lacks transparency is still a poor grade: in supply chains like this, workers who can't be seen to be treated fairly are usually underpaid or unprotected.
Good requirements 1 of 6
- Not met: Pays a living wage, or holds a strong fair-pay certificationLiving wage: no evidence
- Not met: Respects worker rightsMost of its products are made in countries such as Thailand and China, where unions are heavily restricted, and it has no full supply chain audit.
- Not met: Supply chain independently audited or certified, or at least 80% made in countries with strong labour standards
- Met: No child or forced labour findings or links
- Not met: Names the factories or farms that make its products, or is fully certified by a scheme that holds and audits that list
- Not met: Traces its catch to the boat or farm and has crews' or farm workers' conditions checked independently
Red flags 2
- Red flag: No evidence it pays a living wage
- Red flag: Made mostly in countries with poor worker rights, without a full independent audit of its supply chain
Stars it would earn as Good
None yet. Stars only show on Good companies. About stars
Where it's made
Safe Catch names some of the countries it makes in: Thailand. The rest is shown as where fish and seafood are usually processed.
| Country | Worker rights | Legal minimum wage | Forced labour risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thailand | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Moderate |
| ChinaUsual for the industry | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Moderate |
| VietnamUsual for the industry | Systematic violations | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| IndonesiaUsual for the industry | No guarantee of rights | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| IndiaUsual for the industry | No guarantee of rights | Well below a living wage | High |
| AustraliaUsual for the industry | Strong protections | About a living wage | Low |
| EcuadorUsual for the industry | No guarantee of rights | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| NorwayUsual for the industry | Strong protections | About a living wage | Low |
Evidence
What we found
- Risk across the industry, not a finding about this company: fishing fleets and processing plants have some of the worst documented forced labour, including trafficked crews held at sea for years.
- It traces some of its catch or holds environmental labels such as MSC, ASC or BAP, but doesn't show both that its catch is traced to the boat or farm and that crews' or farm workers' conditions are checked independently.
Research notes Safe Catch says its fish is processed at one Thai canning facility, staffed by its own employees and audited for BRC, SQF and amfori BSCI; it does not name the plant or say who owns it. Its tuna and pink salmon come from MSC-certified fisheries in the Pacific and Indian Oceans and Alaska; sardines come from Morocco and mackerel from Scotland. It relies on catch certificates and captains' statements, publishes no vessel list and reports no independent crew checks.
Sources and actions
Sources 6
Show all 6 sources
- Why are your fish processed in Thailand? (Safe Catch FAQ, 2023) · search the archive · Fish processed in Thailand at a canning facility staffed by Safe Catch employees; audited for BRC, SQF and SGS BSCI social compliance
- How do you ensure that your tuna does not come from ships that use forced labor? (Safe Catch FAQ, 2023) · search the archive · Relies on US catch certificates of origin and captains' statements; no vessel list or crew audits described
- Are Safe Catch fish sustainably caught? (Safe Catch FAQ, 2024) · search the archive · Albacore, Elite skipjack and Ahi yellowfin tuna from MSC-certified fisheries; pink salmon MSC; sardines Friend of the Sea
- Where are your fish caught? (Safe Catch FAQ) · search the archive · Tuna from the Western Central Pacific, Indian Ocean and North Pacific; salmon from Alaska; sardines off Morocco; mackerel off Scotland; trout from Turkey
- Safe Catch partners with the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC, 2022) · search the archive · Safe Catch sources MSC-certified tuna and salmon from 2022; sardines and mackerel not MSC
- Safe Catch Wild Albacore Tuna (Walmart) · search the archive · Sold through US retailers such as Walmart; no Australian stockist
Company details
- Headquarters
- United States
- Last researched
- 23 October 2026
- Cite this page
- Labour Lens, "Is Safe Catch ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/safe-catch, last researched 23 October 2026, accessed [date].
- Method
- Researched with AI assistance against published rules. How we check · What Lacks transparency means
Something missing or wrong?
Grades are opinions based on the evidence listed here. Send us evidence, or a right of reply if you represent Safe Catch.