Executive Summary

Forced labor and illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing indications continue to be pervasive in Taiwanese distant water fishing. Recruitment agencies reportedly benefit financially by exploiting migrant fishers. This investigation found clear links between vessels employing those practices and a popular tuna brand in the United States.

These findings are revealed in this investigation report, in which Greenpeace Southeast Asia and the Indonesian Migrant Workers Union (SBMI) analyze complaints from Indonesian migrant fishers who worked on Taiwanese-flagged fishing vessels from 2019 to 2024. This report is the third edition in the Seabound series with more highlights on financial exploitation experienced by the fishers. The previous reports, published in 2019 and 2021, found similar issues of forced labor and IUU fishing in distant water fishing.

SCOPE OF ANALYSIS

The scope of the analysis reflects critical links in the global seafood supply chain: Indonesia is home to many migrant fishers; Taiwan, home to the second largest global fleet of distant water fishing vessels; and the United States (US), the world’s largest seafood importer by value in 2023. In this report, 10 cases linked to 12 Taiwanese-flagged fishing vessels, nine Indonesian recruitment agencies, and four Taiwanese recruitment agencies were deemed to have sufficient testimonies and documentation for the analysis.

FINDINGS

Four of the cases were linked to vessels that have supplied the popular US tuna brand Bumble Bee, which is owned by Taiwanese tuna trader FCF. The vessels–Chaan Ying, Guan Wang, Shin Lian Fa No. 168 and Sheng Ching Fa No. 96–supplied Bumble Bee across multiple trips and often a number of years, indicating a continued relationship with these vessels. As the company publishes neither a vessel list nor any public information on their grievance policy, our research findings are likely the tip of the iceberg.

Fisher complaints and follow-up interviews indicated that all migrant fishers experienced various forms of forced labor, as defined by the International Labor Organization (ILO)’s 11 Forced Labor Indicators. The top forced labor indicators were deception (100%), retention of identity (100%), abuse of vulnerability (92%), and debt bondage (92%).

Fisher complaints and policy analysis, including gaps and inconsistencies in Indonesian regulations, found that many migrant workers reported being illegally charged recruitment fees, which ranged in amount from one to four months average salary, despite Indonesia’s law requiring employers to shoulder such expenses. Despite the agreed-upon monthly salary (USD 400-600), nearly all fishers reported withholding of their wages, with the amount ranging from two to 20 months salary. In one instance, a fisher with eye injuries was denied compensatory medical insurance, equal to up to 25 months of his onboard salary.

Fisher complaints and Global Fishing Watch (GFW) data indicated that six out of the 12 Taiwanese-flagged fishing vessels were associated with activities that are considered indicative of IUU fishing. Key indicators include undetected transshipment often coinciding with periods of Automatic Identification System (AIS) inactivity, raising concerns about the origin of the fish. Some vessels were found to have operated without authorization in areas under the overlapping jurisdiction of multiple Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (RFMOs), potentially resulting in unregulated catches. Fishing in marine protected areas was also reported, threatening ecosystem integrity and undermining conservation efforts. On top of that, fisher testimonies highlighted instances of shark finning, despite global bans and regulations set by RFMOs.

RECOMMENDATIONS

In order to put an end to exploitations of both the ocean ecosystems and the people who work at sea, Greenpeace Southeast Asia and SBMI recommend that:

  • The Government of Indonesia enforces Law 18/2017 and Government Regulation 22/2022 and ratifies the ILO Convention 188.
  • The Government of Taiwan improves fisheries governance to ensure the fleet is free from forced labor, and IUU fishing.
  • The US Government expands and strengthens the enforcement of import controls to prevent market access of goods produced by IUU fishing and/or forced labor.
  • ASEAN Member States support the implementation of the ASEAN Declaration on Placement and Protection of Migrant Fishers and its guidelines.
  • RFMOs improve their Monitoring, Control and Surveillance (MCS) and increase observer coverage on all authorized fishing vessels, as well as establish Conservation and Management Measures (CMMs) on labor standards and enforce it effectively.
  • Seafood companies investigate human rights abuses and illegal fishing practices in their supply chain, and implement comprehensive human rights and environmental due diligence procedures.
  • Seafood consumers should demand transparency from seafood retailers and brands to ensure the journey from ocean to plate is ethical and environmentally responsible.

By exposing indications of unsustainable, unethical, and illegal practices as well as providing platforms for fishers who are raising their voices to fight for universal worker protections, Greenpeace Southeast Asia and SBMI aim to hold accountable stakeholders behind the global fishing industry. There is an urgent need to strengthen legislative policies and practices to shift corporate behavior in order to transform the industry into a fairer, more humane, and sustainable business model that ensures a future for our oceans.

Download the full report HERE