Meeting to examine measures to protect migrant fishers in the ASEAN region
International standards on work in fishing, national policies, legislative frameworks, experiences and good practices on the protection of migrant fishers is the focus of a meeting among ASEAN Member States being held 12-13 September in Makassar, South Sulawesi, Indonesia.
(Bangkok – ILO News) International standards on work in fishing, national policies, legislative frameworks, experiences and good practices on the protection of migrant fishers is the focus of a meeting among ASEAN Member States being held 12-13 September in Makassar, South Sulawesi, Indonesia.
The two-day Regional Meeting on Work in Fishing: Increased Knowledge Base and Sharing Good Practices for the Protection of Migrant Workers is organized by the Ministry of Manpower and Transmigration of the Republic of Indonesia, in cooperation with the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the ILO-ASEAN Triangle Project, funded by the Government of Canada.
Brandt Wagner, Senior Sector Specialist: Shipping; fisheries; inland waterways, Sectoral Activities Branch, International Labour Organization joined the meeting from Geneva. “There is a clear recognition of the need to improve the legal protection of fishers in the region, in particular the conditions of foreign or migrant fishers. The Work in Fishing Convention, 2007 (No. 188) provides the framework for such improvements. We hope that countries in the ASEAN region will follow up this event by reviewing their national laws and regulations and other measures and, through national tripartite discussions, identify how to improve them to ensure all fishers have improved protection. This will benefit all parties and contribute to the sustainability of the sector and therefore to food security for all.”
According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation, (FAO) 87 per cent of the world's fishers and 73 per cent of its fishing vessels come from the ASEAN region, including from major fishing nations such as the Philippines, Indonesia, Japan, and China. The demand for fish and fishery products is especially high in Asia where seafood has traditionally been a staple of many diets.
The need to ensure decent employment, working and living conditions on fishing boats is a regional concern. For example, Cambodian and Myanmar migrant workers work on Thai vessels fishing in Malaysian and Indonesian waters. Countries outside the ASEAN region are also important partners - Vietnamese fishers work on Korean and Taiwanese (China) vessels, and Bangladeshi workers will soon be allowed to work in the Thai fishing sector.The Government of Indonesia is concerned with the protection of its workers who work in fishing vessels outside Indonesian territory, especially as there have been several cases of abandoned and stranded fishers in foreign territories.
The global movement to improve the employment, working, and living conditions of migrant workers in the fishing industry has seen significant progress. The year 2013 was marked by the ILO Global Dialogue Forum for the Promotion of the Work in Fishing Convention, 2007 (No. 188). On 21 May 2012, the landmark Agreement between the Social Partners in the European Union's Sea-Fisheries Sector was adopted. Countries in the region, including Indonesia, New Zealand, Republic of Korea and Thailand are consolidating efforts among relevant ministries to develop new measures and labour reforms on work in fishing.
Migrant fishers from the Asia and the Pacific often travel far distances and endure strenuous work in search of financial security and a better future for their families. Their tireless work on fishing vessels around the world not only provides support for their families but also contributes to global food security and the economic development of both destination countries and their countries of origin. These benefits, however, do not come without risks.
The ILO has identified commercial fishing as a particularly hazardous occupation with a relatively high rate of injury and death. Working and living conditions on board commercial fishing vessels can be dangerous and unhealthy. Long working hours, limited protection from occupational hazards, and cramped living quarters are not uncommon, while treatment from skippers, senior crew members, and fellow fishers varies greatly depending on each individual fishing operation.
While substantial efforts have been made in recent years by the ILO's tripartite constituents (governments, workers and employers) to improve the employment, working, and living conditions of migrant fishers, governments continue to face challenges with regard to the regulation of conditions of work and living in the sector. There is a diversity of the fleets in vessel sizes, types, methods of fishing, duration of trips, areas of fishing grounds, etc. to be considered.
Issues to address include a lack of clarity in terms of employment, a lack of respect for fundamental rights, the absence of a systematic approach to occupational health and safety and insufficient labour inspection of fishing vessels. Illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, while undermining fisheries management and conservation, can also exacerbate exploitative labour practices.
These challenges highlight the importance and value of the ratification and effective implementation of the ILO Work in Fishing Convention, 2007 (No.188) and the need for regional dialogue to make a targeted effort to improve the working conditions of all fishers, including migrant fishers.
For further information please contact:
Ms Krisdaporn Singhaseni
Information Officer
ILO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific
Tel.: +66 (0) 2 288 1664
Email
Mr Manuel Imson
ASEAN TRIANGLE Project Coordinator
ILO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific
Tel.: +66 (0) 2 288 2243
Email
The two-day Regional Meeting on Work in Fishing: Increased Knowledge Base and Sharing Good Practices for the Protection of Migrant Workers is organized by the Ministry of Manpower and Transmigration of the Republic of Indonesia, in cooperation with the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the ILO-ASEAN Triangle Project, funded by the Government of Canada.
Brandt Wagner, Senior Sector Specialist: Shipping; fisheries; inland waterways, Sectoral Activities Branch, International Labour Organization joined the meeting from Geneva. “There is a clear recognition of the need to improve the legal protection of fishers in the region, in particular the conditions of foreign or migrant fishers. The Work in Fishing Convention, 2007 (No. 188) provides the framework for such improvements. We hope that countries in the ASEAN region will follow up this event by reviewing their national laws and regulations and other measures and, through national tripartite discussions, identify how to improve them to ensure all fishers have improved protection. This will benefit all parties and contribute to the sustainability of the sector and therefore to food security for all.”
According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation, (FAO) 87 per cent of the world's fishers and 73 per cent of its fishing vessels come from the ASEAN region, including from major fishing nations such as the Philippines, Indonesia, Japan, and China. The demand for fish and fishery products is especially high in Asia where seafood has traditionally been a staple of many diets.
The need to ensure decent employment, working and living conditions on fishing boats is a regional concern. For example, Cambodian and Myanmar migrant workers work on Thai vessels fishing in Malaysian and Indonesian waters. Countries outside the ASEAN region are also important partners - Vietnamese fishers work on Korean and Taiwanese (China) vessels, and Bangladeshi workers will soon be allowed to work in the Thai fishing sector.The Government of Indonesia is concerned with the protection of its workers who work in fishing vessels outside Indonesian territory, especially as there have been several cases of abandoned and stranded fishers in foreign territories.
The global movement to improve the employment, working, and living conditions of migrant workers in the fishing industry has seen significant progress. The year 2013 was marked by the ILO Global Dialogue Forum for the Promotion of the Work in Fishing Convention, 2007 (No. 188). On 21 May 2012, the landmark Agreement between the Social Partners in the European Union's Sea-Fisheries Sector was adopted. Countries in the region, including Indonesia, New Zealand, Republic of Korea and Thailand are consolidating efforts among relevant ministries to develop new measures and labour reforms on work in fishing.
Migrant fishers from the Asia and the Pacific often travel far distances and endure strenuous work in search of financial security and a better future for their families. Their tireless work on fishing vessels around the world not only provides support for their families but also contributes to global food security and the economic development of both destination countries and their countries of origin. These benefits, however, do not come without risks.
The ILO has identified commercial fishing as a particularly hazardous occupation with a relatively high rate of injury and death. Working and living conditions on board commercial fishing vessels can be dangerous and unhealthy. Long working hours, limited protection from occupational hazards, and cramped living quarters are not uncommon, while treatment from skippers, senior crew members, and fellow fishers varies greatly depending on each individual fishing operation.
While substantial efforts have been made in recent years by the ILO's tripartite constituents (governments, workers and employers) to improve the employment, working, and living conditions of migrant fishers, governments continue to face challenges with regard to the regulation of conditions of work and living in the sector. There is a diversity of the fleets in vessel sizes, types, methods of fishing, duration of trips, areas of fishing grounds, etc. to be considered.
Issues to address include a lack of clarity in terms of employment, a lack of respect for fundamental rights, the absence of a systematic approach to occupational health and safety and insufficient labour inspection of fishing vessels. Illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, while undermining fisheries management and conservation, can also exacerbate exploitative labour practices.
These challenges highlight the importance and value of the ratification and effective implementation of the ILO Work in Fishing Convention, 2007 (No.188) and the need for regional dialogue to make a targeted effort to improve the working conditions of all fishers, including migrant fishers.
For further information please contact:
Ms Krisdaporn Singhaseni
Information Officer
ILO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific
Tel.: +66 (0) 2 288 1664
Mr Manuel Imson
ASEAN TRIANGLE Project Coordinator
ILO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific
Tel.: +66 (0) 2 288 2243