Animal welfare should not come at the expense of crew safety, fair pay, or human rights. These issues should support each other. Safer decks, better planning, good equipment, clear procedures, and trained crew can improve conditions for both people and animals. Similarly, the same structural pressures that create poor animal welfare outcomes like speed, volume, low margins, isolation at sea, and minimal inspection also create dangerous and sometimes exploitative conditions for workers. There are organizations that specialize in labor rights and working conditions at sea. We applaud that work. Welfare improvements are more likely to receive buy-in and actually get implemented when crews have decent work conditions and fair pay.