US EditionTaiwan Is Held up as a Bastion of Liberal Values. But Migrant Workers Report Abuse, Injury and Death in Its Fishing Industry
TAIWAN, JUL 13 – Taiwan's Fisheries Agency introduced reforms since 2022 including higher wages and inspections after the US Department of Labor listed forced labor risks in its fishing industry.
- In 2023, Indonesian migrant fisherman Silwanus Tangkotta lost two fingers after a heavy wave crushed his hand aboard a Taiwanese vessel, then was immediately fired.
- Distant-Water fishermen in Taiwan are excluded from the Labor Standards Act, leading to widespread wage theft, lack of overtime pay, and inadequate protections for workers.
- The US Department of Labor has listed Taiwan’s fleet for forced labor since 2020, with 10 crew owed 15 months’ wages in 2023 and a worker dying after illness denied port return.
- Taiwan’s status as the seventh-largest seafood exporter risks global reputation damage as abuse in its fishing industry raises international scrutiny and consumer concern.
- Since 2022, Taiwan’s Fisheries Agency has implemented reforms like higher wages and CCTV, while lawsuits against companies like Bumble Bee Foods highlight ongoing legal challenges to address industry abuse.
13 Articles
13 Articles
Taiwan claims 'zero tolerance' for fisher abuse amid criticism - Focus Taiwan
Taipei, July 14 (CNA) Following a CNN article exposing the abuse of migrant fishers by their Taiwanese employers, the Fisheries Agency on Sunday insisted that Taiwan has "zero tolerance" for such mistreatment, despite evidence that suggests otherwise.
Taiwan is held up as a bastion of liberal values. But migrant workers report abuse_ ...
Silwanus Tangkotta was working aboard a Taiwanese fishing boat in the remote Pacific last year, when a heavy wave slammed a rolling metal door onto his hand, crushing his middle and ring fingers. The Indonesian migrant fisherman needed medical attention, but the captain refused to return to port, saying they hadn’t caught enough fish to justify the trip. For over a month, Tangkotta endured the searing pain, forced to wrap the wound in tape and p…
Taiwan is held up as a bastion of liberal values. But migrant workers report abuse, injury and death in its fishing industry
Silwanus Tangkotta was working aboard a Taiwanese fishing boat in the remote Pacific last year, when a heavy wave slammed a rolling metal door onto his hand, crushing his middle and ring fingers.
Every summer, Donggang is the busiest season for tuna fishing. A large number of foreign seafarers come to Taiwan to work, playing a key role in Taiwan's ocean fishing industry. However, due to long-term work at sea, seafarers often suffer from health problems such as chronic fatigue, toothache, and blurred vision. For this reason, the Kaohsiung Border Affairs Team of the Immigration Agency held a large-scale free clinic on the 13th, serving mor…
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