Last Thursday, we completed our webinar, HRC’s Webinar - Insights from Taiwanese Distant Water Fishing Vessel Owners for Ethical Change. This webinar was part of our dissemination plan to facilitate meaningful conversations and engaging discussions with relevant stakeholders to foster dialogue.

We would like to reiterate that our latest publication places workers' rights at the center while also attempting to approach non-compliance at sea from a broader perspective. Our goal is to understand the systemic pressures that hinder vessel owners—who consider themselves law-abiding citizens—from fostering an improved working environment for migrant fishermen.

During the opening speech, Ame Sagiv, Director of Forced Labor & Human Trafficking at Humanity United, stressed that various efforts have been made within the supply chain, yet unfortunately meaningful change has not been achieved. The supply chain remains imbalanced, and vessel owners are often perceived as a monolith, even though there is great diversity among them, including both commercial operators and multi-generational family-owned businesses. Tragically, some operators have been forced out of the industry, and some have even taken their own lives. Many of these critical issues remain hidden from public view. Given this context, we ask: How can we establish a system that not only uncovers these challenges but also provides a deeper understanding to effectively address them?

In our report, we not only consider vessel owners’ active role in shaping working conditions on vessels, but we also examine the pressures and incentives they face due to their position within broader systems—including government, recruitment agency, trader, brands, and supply chain actors above and below them.  Our analysis aims to provide an objective view of who the owners are, what actions they typically take, and the reasons behind those actions.

In the first presentation, delivered by our project officer, Anastasia Zhiling Dong, gave a brief introduction to the research design and provided context on the Taiwanese distant-water fishing industry. The government of Taiwan has shifted its approach from protecting the fishing industry to incentivizing many actors to exit the industry. This shift aims to adjust to the reality of a downsized industry while sustaining Taiwan’s fishing sector. Many organizations are working collaborativelyto achieve this vision for the future of Taiwan’s distant-water fishing industry.Numerous organizations are collaborating to achieve this vision for the future of Taiwan's distant-water fishing industry.

In the second presentation, our lead of programmes, Sharlene Chen, and senior consultant provided a more in-depth analysis of the challenges vessel owners face and the strategies they adopt to promote a more sustainable fishing industry. The topics ranged from the costs and profits of operating at sea to international quota allocation and certifications for trading. Instead of viewing vessel owners as a single, homogenous entity, it is crucial to zoom out and consider the broader context in which they operate.

Highlight from the Q&A Session

Through the Q&A session had an extensive webinar and many intriguing questions were asked during the webinar:

Question: In the post COVID era, whether you have observed any extra barrier for migrant fishermen in their recruitment process?

‍
HRC's analysis shows that while the situation hasn't worsened during or after the pandemic, many recruitment issues remain unresolved. For example, the Taiwanese and Indonesian governments are still finalizing a memorandum to address labor issues such as salary deductions and the involvement of local and foreign agencies. However, the document hasn't been signed, so these issues persist.

Furthermore, while the Taiwanese government has forbidden recruitment fees, service fees are still allowed. This service fee could simply be an alternative name for the recruitment fee, which does not enhance workers' rights. Additionally, the ban on recruitment fees only exists on the Taiwan side. Local recruitment agencies in foreign countries like Indonesia can still charge these fees, which could result in a form of salary reduction. This continues to be an ongoing risk.

Question: What grievance mechanisms are currently available in Taiwan? What kind of support are provided by the governments or the buyers?

Other industry stakeholders have raised similar concerns, noting that they struggle to address grievances due to language barriers or a lack of necessary resources.

Currently, the primary grievance mechanisms available to migrant fishermen at sea include the 1995 hotline established by the Taiwanese government and the Worker’s Voice initiative, a collaborative project managed by the local NGO, the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan, the Seamen’s and Fishermen’s Service Center (PCT SFSC), and FCF Ltd.

However, due to the nature of their work,distant migrant fishermen face significant restrictions in accessing phone or internet services. Most can only reach these services when proper cellphone service is available. This challenge further underscores why HRC continues to advocate for migrant fishermen to have reliable access to Wi-Fi or satellite communication at sea.

‍
Question: How is the remediation process conducted, and who are the key stakeholders involved?

The remediation resource remain limited. Through our research, we have identified a collaboration between the Squid and Saury Association and the Indonesia-based organization SBBI, which supports returning Indonesian migrant fishermen in addressing certain issues.

In Taiwan, remediation cases, particularly financial disputes, are typically initiated by local civil society organizations (CSOs) and handled by the government. The authorities facilitate remediation meetings, bringing together all relevant parties—including recruitment agencies, CSO representatives, and interpreters—to ensure that the responsible party settles outstanding debts or unpaid wages. However, in more severe cases, such as debt bondage or salary deductions, vessel owners are often not held accountable. The focus remains on resolving the financial dispute, and many fishermen choose not to press charges, fearing it may jeopardize their ability to continue working in the industry.

We sincerely thank all participants for their critiques, questions, and feedback provided during the discussion and post-event survey. Due to time constraints, we were unable to address every topic in the report or webinar; however, we appreciate the opportunity to have explored some of them during the Q&A session. For any further inquiries, please contact our researchers directly or submit a request through our website.

If you were unable to attend the live webinar, a recording is available on our YouTube channel. As we plan new events, we anticipate additional opportunities for virtual dialogue. Please stay tuned for further announcements.

‍

‍