20 February 2023
Translated by: April, Intern
Edited by: Zoe Wang, Intern
Why is it Urgent to Provide Fishermen Working on Distant Seas Access to Wi-Fi?
Here are two real-life stories from two Indonesian fishermen working on the Taiwanese fishing vessel Fritz jou (順捷):
Andres Nabeleng, an Indonesian fisherman who has been working in Taiwan's fishing industry since 2005, left home for 18 years in order to support his wife and their 13-year-old child. But from 2017 to 2018, he sailed on a Taiwanese fishing vessel that sailed for 8 months that did not have access to Wi-Fi, which prevented him from communicating with his family. As a result, he could not confirm whether his hard earned salary of $500USD was sent back home, and it was not until 8 months later that he discovered his salary had not been properly appropriated, which led to his child almost dropping out of school.
Nofian Kubalang, who couldn’t attend today’s press conference bus is another Indonesian fisherman, shared a similar experience. He has been working in Taiwan's fishing industry for 20 years, to support his wife and three children back home. From 2011 to 2014, he also worked on an isolated Taiwanese fishing vessel that sailed for 15 months without Wi-Fi. Likewise, since he couldn’t confirm if his salary of $300USD was properly sent back home while working on the boat, and it was only after those 15 months that he could contact his family when the boat landed in Hong Kong and found out that his salary wasn’t given to his family. Unfortunately, after suffering from a long absence of economic support, his wife had already remarried and abandoned their children.
In a text, Nofian stated with a heavy heart that "2014 was the worst year of my life. I don't want anyone else to suffer like my family did, but unfortunately, experiences like mine are very common among distant fishermen in Taiwan. We deserve proper working conditions and the right to Wi-Fi access, which will help us protect ourselves and our colleagues and enable us to communicate with our loved ones."
Wandi, another Indonesian fisherman from the Fellowship of Indonesian Seafarers (FOSPI) in Donggang (東港), had almost the exact same experience. Between 2010 and 2012, he worked on a fishing vessel that only landed once a year, resulting in a long period of zero contact with his family. As a result, not only did his fiancée choose to marry someone else, but his father also passed away. Only upon reaching the shore and accessing Wi-Fi did he learn about these two pieces of heart-breaking news. Wandi said, "I deeply understand that when we are deprived of communication rights, it not only destroys us and our families but also makes it impossible for us fishermen to defend our rights at sea."
Lee Li-hua (李麗華), the Secretary-General of the Yilan Migrant Fishermen Union (宜蘭縣漁工職業工會), stated that the Taiwanese fishing vessel Shun Chieh, operating in the waters of Tonga since 2022, is an example of a vessel without Wi-Fi equipment. The 11 Indonesian fishermen face poor working conditions and work for over 20 hours a day with minimal rest time. When facing working injuries, they could only use electrical tape for basic bandaging due to the lack of medical supplies on board. When they requested medication due to illness, they were verbally abused by the boat captain. However, they could only seek external help and report the exploitive working condition after docking in 2022 by borrowing Wi-Fi from the Tongan fishermen. This exploitation falls under the definitions provided by the "Human Trafficking Prevention Act" (人口販運防制法) : taking advantage of others’ inability and uninformed vulnerabilities. The Shun Chieh scenario resembles the situation surrounding the death of Supriyanto on Fu Tsz Chiun (福賜群號), where Wi-Fi was also unavailable, resulting in severe abuse against Supriyanto that could not be reported to the outside world. Li-hua expressed with deep sorrow that "Blocking external communication channels should be considered a crime. The government should no longer rely on moral compasses in place of strict enforcement, which gives unscrupulous operators a sense of impunity. It is recommended that the government strengthen the openness and transparency of information on Taiwanese fishing vessels', allowing foreign fishermen applying to work in Taiwan to verify whether or not the fishing vessels they will be working on provide Wi-Fi."
Meanwhile, Father Yance from the Stella Maris International Seafarers’ Center (海星海員中心) in Kaohsiung, also stated that, "Fishermen who spend months at sea need to communicate with their families, workers unions, advocacy workers, medical services, intermediaries, and government officials." These various real-life situations illustrate why we must stand up and advocate for action in today's press conference: Distant Sea Fishermen Need Wi-Fi Now.
Access to Wi-Fi at Sea Can Significantly Reduce the Risk of Forced labor.
Taiwan plays a crucial role in the Asia-Pacific region as a democratic country that respects human rights. Moreover, as one of the largest distant water fishing (DWF) nations, Taiwan has the second largest distant water fleet in the world, with over 1,100 fishing vessels and an estimated 18,000 to 22,000 foreign fishermen from Southeast Asia, together creating a significant amount of economic benefits for Taiwan's fishing industry. However, according to the Fisheries Agency (漁業署)'s "Foreign Crew Interaction Service Platform" (https://www.happyfisherman.tw/), there are only 27 vessels equipped with Wi-Fi. Additionally, based on the information from the Fisheries Agency's "Fishery and Human Rights Action Plan" (漁業與人權行動計畫) at the end of last year and data provided by operators, approximately 98 vessels have Wi-Fi installed, with 89 of them offering Wi-Fi access to the crew members. Furthermore, the "License Application Evaluation System" (許可證申請評估系統) introduced by Falkland Islands Natural Resource Department (福克蘭群島自然資源局) in 2019 was intended to encourage ship owners and local cooperatives in the fishing industry to improve safety standards, working conditions, and crew welfare on their vessels. Under this system, only vessels with high evaluation scores can obtain fishing licenses for operations in Falkland Islands waters. Consequently, many Taiwanese fishing vessels operating in the region are required to install Wi-Fi facilities and allow fishermen to use Wi-Fi. However, some fishermen have reported that many ship owners shut off Wi-Fi once they leave Falkland Islands waters.
The lack of Wi-Fi communication for fishermen and the related disputes over forced labor pose significant challenges and risks to Taiwan's fishing industry in the modern era. For instance, the U.S. Department of Labor included Taiwan's seafood products on “List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor” for the second time in 2022. The list also includes products made through forced labor in China's Xinjiang re-education camps. As a result, Taiwan has been associated with international scandals involving forced labor, human trafficking, illegal fishing, murders at sea, and disappearances at sea.
Kimberly Rogovin, a Senior Seafood Advocacy Coordinator at the Global Labor Justice-International Labor Rights Forum (GLJ-ILRF), clearly stated, "Wi-Fi on every fishing vessel will enable workers to fight labor exploitation and abuse, improve working and living conditions at sea, and report various violations of labor rights that would otherwise go unnoticed and unresolved. Wi-Fi enables fishermen to seek support for their physical and mental health when needed. Taiwan is a leader in the Asia-Pacific region in terms of democracy and respect for human rights, but when foreign fishermen are denied their rights at sea, it is a failure of democracy and human rights."
Access to Wi-Fi at Sea Can Improve the Freedom of Association
"The fundamental labor rights of freedom of association and collective bargaining are essential for all workers. But distant sea fishermen lack communication means at sea, making it challenging for them to exercise these core labor rights. Meaningful access to Wi-Fi is crucial for distant sea fishermen to realize these rights," urged Wong Ying-Dah (汪英達), Director of Migrant Worker Policy Division at Taoyuan Serve the People Association (桃園市群眾服務協會移工政策處). Indonesian fishermen Nofian and Wandi also echoed the sentiment, stating that this is why they actively joined and participated in FOSPI. When fishermen unite, they represent thousands facing similar issues and harsh working conditions. When unions, organizations, and allies come together, they can demand the rights of fishermen according to the law.
Kimberly, the Senior Seafood Advocacy Coordinator at GLJ-ILRF, also called on the Taiwanese government, saying, "In reality, Taiwan is one of the few countries in the Asia-Pacific region and even the world that grants foreign migrant workers the legal right to organize and join unions. Taiwan has been a good example of best practice in this regard, but when it comes to distant sea fishermen being deprived of their right to communicate with unions due to a lack of communication at sea, this right becomes a false promise. To demonstrate Taiwan's commitment to true democracy and workers' rights, it is essential to ensure that all foreign fishermen can access Wi-Fi at sea. This is a matter of justice, democracy, and a matter of life and death."
Is it Expensive to Install Wi-Fi Facilities on Fishing Vessels?
Some industry representatives argue that installing Wi-Fi devices on fishing vessels is expensive and will impact Taiwan's fishing industry. However, some ship owners, like Chen Wen-sheng (陳文省) of Tungkang Man Fu Cai (滿福財) No.168 and Tseng Justing (曾譯霆) of the Jien Yuan Ming (健元銘) No.88, have recognized the benefits and trends of providing Wi-Fi to fishermen, acknowledging that the increased cost is justified considering the reduction in risks associated with forced labor.
Facing the criticism and international pressure concerning the issue of forced labor in the fishing industry, Taiwanese government has committed to enforce the International Labour Organization's "Work in Fishing Convention"(漁業工作公約) (C 188), which mandates that all fishermen on board should have reasonable access to communication facilities. However, this commitment has not been fully implemented yet. In 2022, the government announced the "Action Plan on Fisheries and Human Rights," which includes promoting and encouraging the provision of Wi-Fi on distant fishing vessels for crew members to communicate with the outside world and their families during rest time, along with policies such as rewarding quotas or operational days. However, the anticipated effect of this plan is concerning because it aims to subsidize the installation of Wi-Fi on only 60 fishing vessels over four years, with a total budget of $28,560,000NTD for equipment and communication fees. The Fisheries Agency has developed "Guidance Measures for Distant Water Fishing Vessel Operators to Provide Foreign Crew with Wireless Internet Access"(遠洋漁船經營者提供非我國籍船員無線網路使用輔導措施), but, these incentive-based policies lack legal binding, and it is doubtful if they will fully address the challenges faced by distant sea fishermen.
Regarding the exact cost of installing Wi-Fi equipment on distant fishing vessels, Chen Yi-yu (陳㵾伃), the project director at Humanistic Research Consultancy (HRC), stated that, "In fact, the actual installation and communication fees are much more affordable than imagined. There are several types of equipment with different functionalities and pricing options available in the market. Ship owners can choose different plans based on their needs, the number of crew members, and their budget. The monthly fees range from about $580 to $2,000, which is equivalent to the monthly salary of a new or experienced crew member. The Taiwan government strongly encourages and supports Taiwanese ship owners in providing Wi-Fi to foreign laborers."
Sign a Petition to Support Wi-Fi Access for Distant Sea Fishermen, Helping Taiwan’s Fishing Industry Fix its Forced Labor Reputation
The initiative "Realizing the Labor Rights of Fishermen Immediately" (漁工勞動人權立即實現) advocating for the use of Wi-Fi by distant sea fishermen is jointly launched by various organizations, including the FOSPI (Fellowship of Indonesian Seafarers), TAHR (Taiwan Association for Human Rights), Stella Maris Kaohsiung, GLJ-ILRF, and HRC (Human Rights Consultancy). This initiative has garnered significant attention and support from foreign fishermen, labor unions, and domestic and international non-governmental organizations because Wi-Fi is considered a crucial solution to address human rights, labor rights, and mental health issues arising from the isolation and lack of support at sea.
As of February 15, 2023, we have obtained 537 signatures from foreign fishermen. Additionally, we have garnered support from 50 organizations from both international and Taiwanese sectors, as well as more than 634 individuals who are willing to be allies in this advocacy campaign. Apart from labor rights advocacy groups, we have also received support from various human rights organizations, judicial groups, gender and LGBTQ groups, religious leaders, children's rights groups, environmental organizations, immigrant rights groups, youth groups, organizations concerned about Hong Kong, homelessness rights groups, academia, education sector, religious leaders, independent media, legislators, individual members of the National Human Rights Commission, documentary filmmakers, prominent opinion leaders in Taiwan, and leaders of various civil society NGOs.
Finally, the Secretary-General of TAHR, Shih Yi-hsiang(施逸翔), called on the Taiwanese people and international friends to support the initiative and urged them to sign the petition. He emphasized that while we enjoy the conveniences and innovations brought by digital and internet technologies in this era, we must not forget the thousands of fishermen who contribute significantly to Taiwan's fishing industry but lack the basic right to Wi-Fi communication.
If you agree with our advocacy work and our demands, please sign our petition. The petition can be found at this link: https://reurl.cc/Q43Qrb.
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