Listen to the views of all parties to protect the rights and interests of foreign crew members employed overseas
Post Update by edit on 2021-12-09 17:03:13
According to a Greenpeace article on 18 November 2020, "Did the USA issue a yellow card to Taiwan's fishing industry? What the government must do to prevent fish catch from being deprived of being exported to the USA", the Fisheries Agency stated that it was willing to listen with an open mind to suggestions from civil organizations and had continued to exchange views with them through relevant meetings. Concerning the United States Department of Labor's intention to include our fish catch in the forced labor list on September 30 of this year, the Agency will strengthen its efforts in the areas of regulatory inventory, implementation, and social responsibility in the promotion of the fishing industry, and will shortly propose measures for implementation.
Given the possible negative impact on consumers in the market and other negative impressions on us, the Agency has been actively discussing with relevant departments and industry groups how to proceed in light of the inclusion of our fish catch in the forced labor list by the U.S. Department of Labor on September 30 this year.
The Fisheries Agency stated that this case would strengthen the policy on the inventory of regulations, implementation and enforcement, and the promotion of social responsibility in the fisheries industry. Regarding the inventory of relevant laws and regulations, the Executive Yuan has already instructed the Ministry of Labor to conduct a study on the incorporation into domestic laws of the discussions of the International Labor Organization's Work in Fishing Convention. The Agency and other relevant ministries and commissions have already assisted and cooperated in the process; to implement the enforcement part, the Fisheries Agency continues to promote various feasible enforcement actions and strengthen the field surveys on the implementation of wage payment and working hours segment of the improvement of the working environment. In addition, on November 13, 2020, the Agency held a seminar on "Challenges and Prospects of Taiwan's Offshore Fishing Industry" and on November 19th, invited relevant fishermen's associations and certification bodies to hold a discussion meeting on the "Response to the U.S. inclusion of our fishery products on the list of goods produced by forced labor", during which corporate social responsibility was promoted and most of the participants recognized its importance.
The Fisheries Agency stated that it would continue to work with the Judicial Police Unit to strengthen the capacity to identify and handle human trafficking and that cases involving forced labor or human trafficking would be referred to the Judicial Police Unit for investigation under the law to combat wrongful treatment, such as violence onboard vessels and forced labor.
The Fisheries Agency concluded that both, the Agency and civil organizations concerned about the rights and interests of foreign crew members employed overseas would like to see these rights and treatments enhanced. In addition to listening to the suggestions made by civil organizations and the industry, the Agency also called on our fishing vessel owners to take proper care of the livelihood and welfare of the crew on board and maintain a good partnership to properly assume their corporate social responsibility.
Contact person: LIN, Kuo-Pin, Deputy Director-General
Mobile phone: 0988678051
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