with 8 hours of rest. However, the rest time is fragmented—up to 6 to 8 hours being broken into intervals. For example, they might rest for 2 hours, then work for 8 hours, and then rest for another 2 hours. This often exhausts them and stops them from using the more worker-friendly facilities and equipment onboard.”40 (1) Work hour arrangements on tuna longline fishing vessels41 Kung Yu-ling, a board supervisor at the TTLA, noted that the transit time from Taiwan to Western and Central Pacific waters takes at least 40 days before fishing operations can begin. She emphasized that this transit time should also be included in the calculation of work hours. “We usually only calculate the time from the start of operations. However, vessel owners must still pay the crew’s wages during transit.” 42 SecretaryGeneral Ho also voiced the perspective of vessel owners, explaining that longer working hours at sea are unavoidable during peak fishing seasons. Conversely, fishers get more rest when there is no catch. He pointed out that the nature of fishing operations cannot adhere to fixed daily rest hours like onshore jobs. One significant factor is the industry’s historical lack of a systematic approach to maintaining proper records of work hours, contracts, and related documentation. This gap has resulted in the inability to provide concrete evidence to prove that not all vessel owners operate under poor labor practices, further complicating efforts to address labor concerns. Vessel owner Chen Wen-sheng provided a more detailed explanation of the work process and shift arrangements on small-scale tuna longline fishing vessels. First, working hours are structured differently during transit. For example, the journey from Taiwan to the fishing grounds NHRC (November 21, 2022). “Actions and Dialogues on Human Rights Issues of Migrant Fishers: Stakeholder Forum,” Record of NGO Session. 41 Tuna longline fishing vessels refer to vessels that use longline fishing gear to conduct fishing operations, primarily targeting highly migratory species such as tuna, billfish, and sharks. 42 NHRC (January 6, 2023). “Actions and Dialogues on Human Rights Issues of Migrant Fishers: Stakeholder Forum,” Record of Kaohsiung Session. 40 47