NGOs urge legal protections, accident insurance for migrant fishers

Taipei, July 18 (CNA) The Coalition for Human Rights for Migrant Fishers and related groups held a press event in front of the Ministry of Labor (MOL) Thursday to urge better protection for migrant workers in the distant water fishing (DWF) industry.

They said that DWF workers should be covered under the Labor Standards Act and included in occupational accident insurance, both of which are currently unavailable to them.

Taiwan Association for Human Rights Secretary General Shih Yi-hsiang (施逸翔) noted that these workers are employed on fishing vessels flying the flag of the Republic of China - Taiwan's official name - and are therefore effectively working within an extension of Taiwan's national territory.

As such, he argued, they should be entitled to the same labor rights as other migrant workers who enter Taiwan under the Employment Service Act.

Shih also seconded European representatives' proposal to require Wi-Fi installation on DWF vessels, raised at the Taiwan-EU Labor Consultation on Monday, to provide migrant workers with external communication channels in cases of abuse, as they often remain at sea for up to ten months.

Lee Li-hua (李麗華), secretary general of the Yilan Migrant Fishermen Union, criticized the MOL for its "long-term neglect of DWF migrant workers."

She urged the ministry to hold regular dialogues with NGOs and establish a cross-departmental task force to uphold its commitment to protecting migrant fishers' human rights.

Wang Ying-ta (汪英達), head of the Serve the People Association's migrant worker department, called for overall labor inspections on DWF vessels and highlighted that workers earn just US$550 a month, often receiving pay only after 10 months.

In response, the MOL said that the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) has established the Regulations on the Authorization and Management of Overseas Employment of Foreign Crew Members to protect the rights of DWF workers.

The MOL added that the MOA's Fisheries Agency has drawn up an Action Plan for Fisheries and Human Rights, outlining strategies and specific measures to protect the rights of DWF crews.

Regarding Wi-Fi access on fishing vessels, the ministry said the agency is drafting guidelines for businesses, offering subsidies to encourage installation, and providing policy direction to gradually equip ships with Wi-Fi or satellite phones for crew use.

The ministry added that it would also collaborate with the agency to offer a complaint mechanism through its official LINE service and provide remote telemedicine consultations.

Regarding labor inspections, the MOL said it has partnered with the Fisheries Agency to conduct safety and health checks as part of the Action Plan for Fisheries and Human Rights.

It has also launched independent inspection projects focusing on fishery safety and working conditions, inviting experts to help employers improve operational safety on fishing vessels.

Taiwan-caught fish remains on the U.S. Department of Labor's biennial "List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor," having been added in 2021 and again in 2023.

Meanwhile, a recent CNN article reported on Taiwanese employers' abuse of migrant fishers, with reports of "abuse, injury and death."

In response, the agency claimed that Taiwan has "zero tolerance" for the mistreatment of migrant workers.