Abstract
Taiwan is one of the largest distant water fishing (DWF) nations worldwide. As the domestic population structure of Taiwan has changed, the domestic distant water fishery industrial labour force has gradually been replaced by migrant fishing workers. Due to the occurrence of several events in recent years and increased attention from international and domestic societies, the entire labour management system has improved. This study describes the process of change in the labour market in Taiwan’s DWF industry and several major events affecting the revision of the legal system since 2017. In addition, this study examines whether Taiwan’s institutional changes can effectively solve various types of forced labour problems by referring to the forced labour indicators established by the International Labour Organization (ILO). This study shows that Taiwan’s DWF labour market has gradually improved migrant fishing worker protection following several major events and reforms. These improvements include regulated minimum wage and working conditions on board and decreased law and regulation violations. The survey results provide insightful views regarding the government’s response to eradicate forced labour and rights protection for migrant fishing workers in DWF. These experiences provide an important lesson for DWF nations in managing the DWF labour market. When problems related to subsequent migration occur, this paper can be used as a reform direction and management direction suggestion to protect the labour rights of fishery migrant workers.
Highlights
The Work in Fishing Convention (C188) of the International Labour Organization (ILO) came into effect at the end of 2017
Taiwan, the country that owned the largest number of longline vessels among distant water fishing (DWF) nations, did not have the opportu nity to be involved in the consulting process, the Taiwan government still gradually adjusted its migrant fishing worker management system according to the abovementioned Convention
We further use two events to elaborate upon the labour rights protection of Indonesian fishers working on DWF vessels
Summary
The Work in Fishing Convention (C188) of the International Labour Organization (ILO) came into effect at the end of 2017. Taiwan, the country that owned the largest number of longline vessels among distant water fishing (DWF) nations, did not have the opportu nity to be involved in the consulting process, the Taiwan government still gradually adjusted its migrant fishing worker management system according to the abovementioned Convention. We first describe the current situation of Indonesian fishers, who constitute more than 60% of the workforce on Taiwanese DWF vessels. In the 1960s, the Taiwan government encouraged the private sector to develop DWFs [1], which gradually flourished; Taiwan became an important offshore fishing country worldwide. Taiwan’s economy began to flourish, and Taiwanese indigenous people and migrant workers from mainland China and Southeast Asian countries, such as the Philippines and Indonesia, joined the DWF labour force [2]. As migrant fishing workers replaced the primary labour force that existed since the 1980s, cross-national recruitment administration has become the greatest challenge faced by Taiwan’s authority
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