Access” and the “2022 Fishing Vessel Surveillance Camera Installation Subsidy Guidelines.” These initiatives provided financial support for the installation of Wi-Fi and CCTV systems. In 2023, the government updated the plan to broaden the scope of subsidies to include Wi-Fi and satellite phones, encouraging shipowners to offer crew reasonable access to communication equipment. 15 As of June 2024, the Fisheries Agency reported that 98 distant water fishing vessels had been equipped with Wi-Fi for crew members to use. The agency had discussed a draft guideline on Wi-Fi usage with NGOs and industry stakeholders. Additionally, the Fisheries Agency enacted the “Regulations for the Installation and Management of Video Surveillance Systems on Distant Water Fishing Vessels,” which mandates CCTV to record activities in public areas—excluding private spaces—on all distant water fishing vessels by June 2025.16 Despite these advancements, NGOs have raised concerns regarding the inconsistencies in communication rights relative to international benchmarks. For example, while South Korean vessels provide their crew with three hours of Wi-Fi access each day, the proposed guidelines in Taiwan suggest a minimum provision of either 40MB of data per month or three hours of access monthly. This allocation translates to merely six minutes of internet access per crew member daily, considerably lower than the established international standards for communication rights. Furthermore, NGOs contend that vessel owners' retention of CCTV footage and the need for more transparency regarding fishing routes complicates the ability to monitor Executive Yuan Press Releases (May 14, 2024). “Premier Chen Attends Opening of the Taiwan International Conference on Fishers’ Welfare: Advocates for Domestic Implementation of Fisheries Work Conventions, Aligning with International Human Rights Standards to Protect Crew Members’ Rights.” Source: https://www.ey.gov.tw/Page/9277F759E41CCD91/31f9d7dc-96d8-48f2-a033-0ec1254fc7e0 16 Central News Agency (June 5, 2024). “Foreign Fishery Workers Call to End Discriminatory Treatment; Fisheries Agency Responds with Ongoing Improvements to Labor Conditions.” Source: https://www.cna.com.tw/news/ahel/202406050361.aspx 15 21