could extend greater support to crew members and ensure adherence to
maritime labor regulations, thereby alleviating the challenges of
adjustment and encouraging ongoing skill development and professional
growth within the industry.
The sector has already witnessed initial improvements made in
onboard communication. At the “2024 Taiwan International Conference on
Fishers’ Welfare,” organized by Stella Maris in May, the three principal
industry associations provided updates regarding Wi-Fi installations. The
TTA reported that 40% of vessels were equipped with Wi-Fi, while 50%
had installed CCTV systems. While the TSSFA reported that 90% of their
vessels had Wi-Fi, and nearly 200 tuna longline vessels had adopted Wi-Fi
technology within six months.
TTA Director Lin emphasized the industry's ongoing commitment to
Wi-Fi installation to create a secure and reliable environment for crew
members. He highlighted that TTA and the TSSFA had partnered in
December 2022 with the Indonesian Fishers’ Union (SPPI) to enhance
crew welfare. “We recognize that despite the availability of Wi-Fi, there
may still be challenges that crew members cannot address while at sea. In
such instances, SPPI can offer local support to ensure crew members have
access to assistance regarding situations in their hometowns and families
back home,” Lin stated.
In the future, Lin explained that the industry intends to integrate Wi-Fi
and telemedicine across all distant water fishing vessels, enabling crew
members to access Wi-Fi during their downtime. He cited an instance from
April 2024, when the TTA collaborated with Kaohsiung Veterans General
Hospital to offer remote medical assistance. A vessel captain suffering from
a foot injury was able to obtain medical care from onshore specialists via a
Wi-Fi-enabled video consultation.
In May 2022, the Executive Yuan sanctioned the Action Plan, which
led to the establishment of “Guidance Measures for Ocean-going Fishing
Vessel owners to Provide Non-Taiwanese Crew with Wireless Internet
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