In light of World Fisheries Day, which falls every November 21, it is important to once again remember that labour justice is an integral dimension of transparency in global fisheries. And to remember that responsible governance must address both environmental and human rights concerns, above profits.<\/p>\n\n That\u2019s why Greenpeace Southeast Asia hosted a webinar that placed fisheries transparency at the centre of the conversation. Featuring insightful contributions from the Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF), OCEANA Philippines and the Union of Indonesian Migrant Workers (Serikat Buruh Migran Indonesia or SBMI), the event aimed to highlight the growing importance of fisheries transparency for countries in the global south. Advocates from across Southeast Asia also participated.<\/p>\n\n In Thailand, Nattawut Kasem from EJF described how a fisher\u2019s life can unfold far, far away from the public eye. Interviews by EJF with 117 fishers on 50 vessels in 2024 to 2025 exposed a troubling reality of physical abuse, relentless verbal harassment, and exhausting work hours. These experiences persist because the systems that should bring them to light remain dim. <\/p>\n\n Across the sea in the Philippines, Jessie Floren, a GIS Specialist in Oceana Philippines showed how OCEANA\u2019s Karagatan Patrol grew from a small online reporting group into a platform that uses satellites and data visualization to expose illegal fishing hotspots in near real time. Its impact reveals what fisheries transparency can unlock.<\/p>\n\n When the discussion turned to the Global Charter for Fisheries Transparency, the conversation sharpened. The Charter\u2019s principles were presented not only as guidance for data openness but as a unifying framework that can link ecological accountability with human rights. <\/p>\n\n This connection became clear when Novia Kirana from the SBMI highlighted how Indonesian civil society has begun using the Charter as a labour justice tool, especially to reveal recruitment risks and opaque ownership structures that allow abuse to persist in distant water fleets. <\/p>\n\n As the webinar closed, a shared understanding emerged. Transparency is more than a regulatory instrument. It is a story that coastal communities, fishers, and governments must write together if justice, sustainability, and dignity at sea are to become reality.<\/p>\n\n <\/p>\n\n In early November 2025, Greenpeace stood alongside international delegates from over 40 countries to sign a global commitment to decent work for all fishers in the Fishing Industry\u2019s Safety and Health (FISH) Platform Conference 2025. <\/p>\n\n Referred to as the \u201cBali Declaration\u201d, each signature on the declaration represents a commitment to support decent work, and health & safety in the fishing industry. Here are some of the key mechanisms it outlines:<\/p>\n\n The signing of the declaration fits perfectly within Indonesia\u2019s plan to improve labour rights, both on land and sea. During May Day 2025, the President pledged before thousands of trade union members to raise labour standards and secure fishers\u2019 rights through the ratification of ILO C-188. This commitment was later reaffirmed by the Minister of Manpower, Yassierli, and the Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, Sakti Wahyu Trenggono, who emphasised the importance of stronger labour protections on Indonesian vessels. With these assurances in place, Indonesia cannot afford to allow past patterns of labour exploitation to occur again.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-southeastasia-stateless\/2025\/11\/f75d04fb-boots-indonesia-jurnasyanto-sukarno-scaled.jpg\")
Global Charter for Fisheries Transparency<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n
Bali Declaration<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n
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