The Taiwanese Fisheries Agency has stated that it is regrettable that the distant water fleet remains on the US Department of Labour’s (DOL) List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor and expects this to change as reform measures are implements.
A Fisheries Agency representative commented that it continues to work to improve fishery working conditions, crew rights and benefits, and strengthen the protection of fishery human rights in Taiwan, working with relevant ministries to fully implement its Action Plan of Fisheries and Human Rights.
The Agency is also working with industry and the private sector to improve labour rights and benefits in Taiwanese distant-water fisheries.
To lead to a situation under which Taiwanese distant-water fisheries could be removed from the DOL listing, the Fisheries Agency had invited officials, academics, researchers and civil groups to discuss specific measures and solutions relevant to working conditions, living conditions, social protection, supervising the agents, monitoring mechanisms, international cooperation, and mutual-beneficial partnerships in Taiwanese distant-water fisheries.
The conclusions were aggregated into the Action Plan of Fisheries and Human Rights, which was approved by the Executive Yuan in May of 2022.
Amendments were also made to some working conditions under the Regulations on the Authorization and Management of Overseas Employment of Foreign Crew Members, raising the minimum wage from US$450 to US$550 per month, requiring the specification of rest periods shall be in line with the ILO-C188 Convention, raising the life insurance coverage to NT$ 1.5 million, requiring full salaries to be directly transferred to crew members’ accounts and not via foreign agents, requiring a minimum coverage of health insurance of NT$300,000, and providing a channel for crew complaints.
The Agency’s representative commented that it visited the DOL in early September to draw attention to Taiwan’s efforts and future plans on improving the human rights in its distant water fisheries.
‘The DOL appreciated Taiwan’s efforts and looked forward to some positive outcomes,’ the Agency states.
‘The Fisheries Agency reiterated that, facing the expectations of the major international seafood consumer markets, they are not only increasing law enforcement capacity, but also continue working with industry and crew members groups to safeguard the labour rights of migrant fishermen as well as the sustainable development and global markets of Taiwanese distant-water fisheries.’
