Abstract
“When migrant fishers depart from port, their Facebook status
typically goes offline, indicating their imminent transition into prolonged
periods of isolation—ranging from six to eight months, and in some
instances, several years.”
This report employs the metaphor of “going offline” to underscore the
enduring isolation migrant fishers face at sea, cut off from external
communication. It articulates the perspectives of various stakeholders
regarding Wi-Fi accessibility for fishers operating in offshore
environments. The notion of being offline also highlights the disparity
between the existing practices in Taiwan’s distant water fisheries and
international human rights standards. The report starts with an analysis of
the recruitment process for fishers by addressing the roles of
intermediaries, pre-departure training, onboard living conditions, working
hours, remuneration, safety, health, social security, and mechanisms for
lodging complaints. These critical human rights concerns were identified
through findings from the “Stakeholder Actions and Dialogue on Migrant
Fisher Rights” initiative, carried out by the National Human Rights
Commission (NHRC) in partnership with the Organization for Migrant
Fisher Rights (OMFR). Subsequent sections delve into significant topics,
including labor inspections, the incorporation of ILO-C188 (Work in
Fishing Convention) into domestic legislation, and the application of
human rights due diligence within the seafood supply chain.
Three focused discussions and interviews with ten key informants
were conducted from November 2022 to March 2023. These investigations
revealed valuable insights from different stakeholders, including migrant
fishers, fisheries associations, vessel owners, captains, seafood traders,
labor agencies, government entities, NGOs, and representatives from
migrant fishers’ countries of origin. This information constitutes the
essential content of the report.