expressed hope for reducing international remittance's procedural and costrelated barriers, allowing vessel owners to transfer wages directly to migrant fishers more smoothly. Fisheries Division Chief Lin Ding-rong also elaborated, “Remittance has long been an area where we hope to make breakthroughs. To prevent unfair practices associated with wages being routed through multiple foreign intermediaries, we now require wages to be paid through direct remittance or cash—both options are acceptable. Direct remittance, in particular, can address many challenges vessel owners face if clear agreements with banks are established. Requiring a designated bank account and accurate information for direct transfers further reduces the risk of exploitation, ensuring a fairer payment process.” (3) Direct salary remittance The head of the Labor Analysis Group at the Indonesian Economic and Trade Office (IETO), noted that Indonesia’s state-owned Bank Rakyat Indonesia (BRI) has already established branches in Taiwan. Salaries can now be directly transferred to fishers’ families, thanks to collaboration between IETO and the Fisheries Agency, bypassing intermediaries and local agents in Indonesia. However, distant water fishers in Taiwan face challenges because they do not have Alien Resident Certificates (ARCs) or ID cards, which are required to open bank accounts in Taiwan. Additionally, paying in U.S. dollars via remittance incurs higher fees, averaging around 150 NTD per transaction.51 He further explained that if employers send wages directly to the fishers’ families, the fishers lose the ability to manage their money for other expenses. Using a mobile banking app would allow fishers to manage their finances independently, enabling them to withdraw money or transfer themselves. This requires legal residency status in Taiwan, which means that migrant fishers employed under overseas contracts for distant water fisheries cannot be included in this service. 51 NHRC (February 14, 2023). “Actions and Dialogues of Stakeholders on the Human Rights Issues of Foreign Fishers,” Record of Taipei Session. 55