ii. Labor Inspections in Fisheries The inconsistency in jurisdiction over labor inspections in fisheries stems primarily from the different regulations governing domestically and overseas-employed fishers. While the Fisheries Agency oversees fisheriesrelated matters, inspection authority for vessel structure and navigational safety falls under maritime authorities. The Law of Ships stipulates that maritime authorities are responsible for conducting inspections of fishing vessels, categorized as special, regular, and interim inspections. These inspections, outlined in Articles 25 to 27 of the Law of Ships, primarily ensure the seaworthiness of fishing vessels. Labor inspections of fisheries or fishing vessels face both objective and subjective constraints. Fishing vessels are mobile or relocatable production sites, making it difficult to conduct inspections effectively unless vessels are in port or inspectors are stationed onboard for extended periods. Furthermore, the unique nature of fishing labor differs significantly from onshore labor, necessitating adjustments to labor inspection standards to align with the specific characteristics of fishing work. Unfortunately, the sheer number of onshore business units already overwhelms labor inspection agencies and personnel, leaving them with little capacity to inspect the thousands of fishing vessels—large and small. The fisheries cooperation countries generally supervise and manage safety and health inspections for vessels involved in joint fishing ventures or based in foreign ports. In contrast, ships engaged in coastal and inshore fishing operations are often subject to less oversight and regulation, creating a gap in supervision and management.69 In principle, occupational safety and health inspections and labor inspections for fishing vessel operations should be conducted by labor authorities per the Labor Inspection Act. However, for distant water fishing Li, Bo-Wen, & Lee, Yu-Ting, “Research on the Labor Inspection System for Non-Overseas Employment Fishing Vessel Workers in Taiwan,” Institute of Labor and Occupational Safety and Health, Ministry of Labor, May 2020, pp. 1, 50. 69 72