Estonian investigative TV journalism programme Eyewitness (Pealtnägija) that aired on ETV yesterday reported that businessman Paul Kärberg who effectively controls fishing business on Lake Peipus has, as major local employer, effectively become a slaveowner and turned local fishermen to slaves.

Among others, Kärberg has also forced local fishermen to join IRL, in order to secure enough votes for Aivar Kokk who has now become an MP and has started to push through bills that would strengthen Kärberg’s power over fishing in Lake Peipus.

Little-known Kokk who is also a large shareholder of local newspaper Vooremaa got 3,382 votes in Tartu and Jõgeva counties in 2011 general elections, only a little less than such political heavyweights as Jaak Aaviksoo and Ene Ergma, but much more than Tõnis Palts, Andres Herkel and Erki Nool.

Kärberg is taking advantage of the complex rules that regulate fishing on the lake. There are namely around 400 professional fishermen in the area, but only ten of them have personal fishing permits and the rest are employed by about 50 companies that own fishing permits.

One local fisherman said that this leaves them only two options: sign an employment contract with a company that owns a fishing permit or buy the permit from an existing permit holder. Since permit holders are not interested in selling them and permits cost thousands of euros, fishermen actually have only one option which makes them highly dependable on their employers.

One of such employers is Paul Kärberg, former head of the state fishing farm and current board member of IRL and the party’s Jõgeva region who is estimated to own about 30% of the fishing permits for Lake Peipus.

One fisherman who named Kärberg the local slaveowner showed the TV programme his employment contract with Kärberg.

The fisherman says that catching targets are very high and even unrealistic. “They tell you to catch, say 500 kg of perch, but it’s not possible because the net is too big. If you catch 400 kg, you receive 50% of the payment. One fisherman started to buy perch from Latvians, to make the quota, but was caught by the environmental inspectorate and lost his job,” he said.

A lawyer of the labour inspectorate who was shown the employment contract by journalists said that it was clearly biased towards the employer. She said that it was incredible that in the 21st century Estonia there are still such enslaving employment terms. “Another incredible thing is that there are 100 fishermen who have signed it and are working for Kärberg,” said the lawyer, adding that employment terms are effectively making employees slaves.

“There are very many terms that the employee must fulfil before he can claim his salary. There are terms such as the employee must fish every day, all fish must be handed over to the employer, the fisherman must inform the employer of his whereabouts and exact fishing area. Employees cannot breach any terms of the contract because he would be fined for the exact amount of his fee, etc.” said the lawyer.

Paul Kärberg who refused to appear before the cameras answered questions in writing. He wrote that all employment contracts are signed voluntarily and that fishermen are free to leave and seek work in some other company.

According to fishermen, Kärberg is using another means to keep fishermen in his company. He starts to owe them money and makes it clear that if fishermen leave the company they could lose all hope to every reclaiming payment.

Kärberg himself been suspected in earlier years of tax fraud and influencing voters in 2009, including registering people under his influence to relocate their place of residence to Jõgeva county, but the cases were not upheld in courts.
makes you think doesn't it