AP Investigation: Slaves may have caught the fish you bought
AP (2015)
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Over the last decade, there were
2,531 online news content
telling the story of modern slavery at sea
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These so-called “hidden problems” behind your seafood dishes have always been there, and neither the waves, nor the time, can seem to wash them away.
Scroll Down
3 big news examples that effected to the problem "Slavery at the sea" and make government and people around the world pay attention to this issue.
For many years, there have been international demands for change…
2001
IPOA IUU by FAO
To prevent, deter and eliminate IUU fishing by providing all states with measures to act
2007
ILO C188 (2007) by ILO
To establish minimum standards for working and living conditions on board fishing vessels
2009
PSMA (2009) by FAO
To prevent and eliminate IUU fishing by preventing vessels engaged in IUU fishing from using ports and landing their catches
2012
CTA (2012) by IMO
To ensure the safety of fishing vessels and their crew by setting out minimum global standards for the design, construction, equipment and inspections of fishing vessels
Unfortunately, the problems of modern slavery at sea still occur and have deteriorated in some places.
Let's see why
A recent study 2 by University of California in 2020, using satellite-AIS data and machine-learning analysis to identify high-risk industrial fishing vessels of using forced labour, revealed that in 2012-2018 between
57,000 - 100,000 individuals
were potentially victims of modern slavery at sea.
They were on 2,300 to 4,200 high-risk vessels, which behaved in systematically different patterns from other vessels, namely, travelling further from ports and shores, and spending longer voyage duration.
Fishing route of Chin Chun No.12’s in 2020
For example, data from the study showed the labeled positive forced labor vessels which were reported to display at least one ILO forced indicators, traveled with average maximum distance from port further than the global fishing fleet.
Unsurprisingly, the major force driving many vessels to operate further out on high seas is a continuing dwindling fish population 3 due to increasing global fish demand and the rapid growth of the industrial fishing fleets.
Proportion of world marine fish stocks within biologically sustainable levels
Longer distance and time spent on high seas induced the vessels to minimise their costs under little legal oversight environment. Such conditions have increased the likelihood of modern slavery at sea.
Southeast Asia is home to most migrant fishers who claimed they were forced into labour on distant water fishing fleets.
Migrants fishers from Southeast Asian countries often work on distant water fishing fleets of countries outside the region such as China Mainland and Taiwan.
As of July 2020, 34,905 migrant fishers from Indonesia and the Philippines were estimated to be
on the Taiwanese fleets, making them part of a USD 2 billion
industry and one of the top five distant water fishing fleets on
the high seas.
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However, the exact number of overall forced migrant fishers in SEA remains unknown as it continues to be unreported and unmonitored.
To better understand the situation, Greenpeace Southeast Asia has investigated the cases of Indonesians and Filipinos migrants who worked on board distant water fishing fleets.
Findings suggest strong sign of ‘forced labour’ in fisheries, a type of modern slavery.
Central to the investigation were 13 suspected foreign fishing vessels...
(Location updated on 13 Jan 2021) 6...where 34 Indonesian migrant fishers reported conditions of forced labour, and a number of Filipino migrant fishers faced similar circumstances.
We analysed the original reports of each case, along with direct interviews, paper trail, and corroborative information.
We discovered 137 counts of situations 
under 11 ILO forced labour indicators.
under 11 ILO forced labour indicators.
Click to see detail of each case
A 25 year-old crew on Chin Chun N0.12
Indicators :
- Deception
- Withholding of Wages
A 29 year-old crew on Da Wang
Indicators :
- Deception
- Physical Violence
- Withholding of Wages
- Excessive Overtime
- Abusive Working and Living Conditions
- Abuse of Vulnerability
A 21 year-old crew on Fu Yuan Yu No.054
Indicators :
- Deception
- Withholding of Wages
- Excessive Overtime
A 23 year-old crew on Fu Yuan Yu No.054
Indicators :
- Deception
- Withholding of Wages
- Excessive Overtime
A 22 year-old crew on Fu Yuan Yu No.054
Indicators :
- Deception
- Withholding of Wages
- Excessive Overtime
A 21 year-old crew on Fu Yuan Yu No.054
Indicators :
- Deception
- Abusive Working and Living Conditions
- Excessive Overtime
A 21 year-old crew on Fu Yuan Yu No.054
Indicators :
- Deception
- Withholding of Wages
- Excessive Overtime
A 26 year-old crew on Fu Yuan Yu No.054
Indicators :
- Deception
- Withholding of Wages
- Excessive Overtime
A 24 year-old crew on Fu Yuan Yu No.054
Indicators :
- Deception
- Withholding of Wages
- Excessive Overtime
A 36 year-old crew on Fu Yuan Yu No.054
Indicators :
- Deception
- Withholding of Wages
- Excessive Overtime
A 20 year-old crew on Fu Yuan Yu No.054
Indicators :
- Deception
- Withholding of Wages
- Excessive Overtime
A 25 year-old crew on Fu Yuan Yu No.054
Indicators :
- Deception
- Withholding of Wages
- Excessive Overtime
A 23 year-old crew on Fu Yuan Yu No.055
Indicators :
- Deception
- Physical Violence
- Abusive Working and Living Conditions
- Excessive Overtime
- Intimidation and Threats
A 30 year-old crew on Fu Yuan Yu No.055
Indicators :
- Deception
- Physical Violence
- Abusive Working and Living Conditions
- Excessive Overtime
- Intimidation and Threats
A 22 year-old crew on Fu Yuan Yu No.055
Indicators :
- Deception
- Physical Violence
- Abusive Working and Living Conditions
- Excessive Overtime
- Intimidation and Threats
A 35 year-old crew onFu Yuan Yu No.056
Indicators :
- Deception
- Physical Violence
- Abusive Working and Living Conditions
- Intimidation and Threats
A 33 year-old crew on Fu Yuan Yu No.056
Indicators :
- Deception
- Physical Violence
- Abusive Working and Living Conditions
- Excessive Overtime
- Intimidation and Threats
A 20 year-old crew on Fu Yuan Yu No.062
Indicators :
- Withholding of Wages
- Restriction of Movement
A 23 year-old crew on Fu Yuan Yu No.062
Indicators :
- Withholding of Wages
- Intimidation and Threats
A 26 year-old crew on Fu Yuan Yu No.062
Indicators :
- Deception
- Physical Violence
- Withholding of Wages
- Debt Bondage
- Excessive Overtime
- Intimidation and Threats
- Restriction of Movement
- Isolation
A 25 year-old crew on Fu Yuan Yu No.062
Indicators :
- Deception
- Withholding of Wages
- Abusive Working and Living Conditions
- Excessive Overtime
- Restriction of Movement
A 30 year-old crew on Fwu Maan No.88
Indicators :
- Physical Violence
- Abuse of Vulnerability
- Retention of Identity Documents
A 32 year-old crew on Fwu Maan No.88
Indicators :
- Physical Violence
- Abuse of Vulnerability
- Retention of Identity Documents
A 33 year-old crew on Fwu Maan No.88
Indicators :
- Physical Violence
- Abuse of Vulnerability
- Retention of Identity Documents
A 25 year-old crew on Han Rong 353
Indicators :
- Deception
- Physical Violence
- Withholding of Wages
- Abusive Working and Living Conditions
- Excessive Overtime
- Intimidation and Threats
A 23 year-old crew on Han Rong 353
Indicators :
- Deception
- Physical Violence
- Withholding of Wages
- Abusive Working and Living Conditions
- Excessive Overtime
- Intimidation and Threats
A 25 year-old crew on Han Rong 353
Indicators :
- Deception
- Physical Violence
- Withholding of Wages
- Abusive Working and Living Conditions
- Excessive Overtime
- Intimidation and Threats
A 25 year-old crew on Han Rong 353
Indicators :
- Deception
- Physical Violence
- Withholding of Wages
- Abusive Working and Living Conditions
- Excessive Overtime
- Intimidation and Threats
A 30 year-old crew on Hangton No.112
Indicators :
- Withholding of Wages
- Debt Bondage
- Abusive Working and Living Conditions
- Excessive Overtime
- Abuse of Vulnerability
A 26 year-old crew on Lien Yi Hsing No.12
Indicators :
- Deception
- Withholding of Wages
A 26 year-old crew on Lien Yi Hsing No.12
Indicators :
- Deception
- Withholding of Wages
A 25 year-old crew on Lu Rong Yuan Yu No.30
Indicators :
- Deception
- Physical Violence
- Withholding of Wages
- Debt Bondage
- Intimidation and Threats
- Retention of Identity Documents
A 38 year-old crew on Shin Jaan Shin
Indicators :
- Deception
- Withholding of Wages
A 35 year-old crew on Zhong Da No.2
Indicators :
- Deception
- Physical Violence
- Withholding of Wages
- Abusive Working and Living Conditions
- Excessive Overtime
- Intimidation and Threats
- Abuse of Vulnerability
- Retention of Identity Documents
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Deception
Victims were often promised decent jobs, but, in reality, never worked under the agreed conditions.
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Withholding of Wages
Wages were systematically and deliberately withheld to keep the labourers working.
3
Debt Bondage
Forced labourers often worked in an attempt to pay off an incurred or inherited debt.
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Excessive overtime
Forced labourers might have to work beyond the hours indicated by national law or collective agreement.
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Physical Violence
Violence could be used to hold a person captive and then force them to work beyond the initial agreement.
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Abusive working and living conditions
Forced labourers were likely to endure living and working conditions that ordinary workers would never freely accept.
Main Group
of complaints
of complaints
13
Intimidation and Threats
The common threats include denunciation to the immigration authorities and loss of wages.
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Abuse of Vulnerability
Those lacking knowledge or having a disability that set them apart from the majority of population were especially vulnerable to abuses.
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Retention of Identity documents
Forced labourers could not access their identity documents or other personal possessions on demand by retention.
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Restriction of Movement
Workers were not free to enter and exit the work premises, and were subject to certain restrictions.
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Isolation
Workers might not know their location. Sometimes the employer prevented them from contacting their families and seeking help.
How did it happen?
From land to sea, here’s a journey of modern slavery at sea from the 13 vessels.
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Before embarking on the vessel
The abusive stories began as early as the recruitment process. Most migrant fishers were hired overseas with a promise of fortune to break free from poverty.
Unfortunately, many of them were deceived by manning agencies, trafficked on to ships, or sold to suspected vessels at a cheap price.
Most of them were under ‘Letter-guaranteed placement (LG)’, a private-to-private placement scheme that placed their fate under the authority of private fishing firms, making them vulnerable to exploitation and abuse.
Deception
28 Complaints
“The employment contract is not in accordance with the initial work agreement.
The agency did not give our salaries as first promised and held my identity document every time while working.
The trafficking has been indicated by the agency”
2
Life on board
Migrant fishers were trapped under unfair conditions, even before their work began, by debt bondage. Moreover, wages were systematically withheld as means to compel fishers to stay and not escape.
Debt Bondage
3 Complaints
&
Withholding of wages
25 Complaints
Mr.W was promised a 300 USD monthly salary.
However, in the first six and a half months, ‘guarantee deposit’ charged by the agency and ‘office loan’ borrowed in relation to employment contract were deducted from his salary.
As life on board went on, a large proportion of the salary was set to be paid after the contract ended.
In Mr. W’s case, out of the 300 USD monthly salary, about 250 USD per month was promised as a salary after contract.
He had to work hard but was left with only a 50 USD monthly salary on the vessel. To make matters worse, the captain paid the salary on the vessel in three month times, only when the vessel returned to port.
Unfortunately, Mr. W never received any of the salary promised, including the guarantee deposit claimed to be returned.
“I was promised a total 7,200 USD salary. However, I received nothing.”
Physical Violence
Once the work began, they found themselves trapped in abusive conditions. Moreover, isolation at sea for months made escapes difficult and often impossible.
16 Complaints
“When a foreman saw me working wrongly, he directly hit my thigh with a 3-4 meter long bamboo. I couldn't work right away.”
“One of my friends was beaten and pounded at the back of his ear until he died.”
Bitterly, there were repeated violent cases of Filipino fishers reported from Da Wang, this very same vessel - one crew was beaten to death.
"Captain is evil. My eye suffered an injury during big waves where my arm and neck hit the steel door of the boat. Captain did not help and he still forced me to work even when I was sick. The next day, I suffered a stroke.”
“Sometimes he gave punishment - slapping my nape, throwing sandals at my head, cursing and beating us everyday.”
“Finally, one crew member died. I felt scared.”
“I became a bed bound patient because of an accident on the vessel. I was struck by strong waves. My body and head hit the floor. I asked the captain to take me to hospital but he did not allow it.
"Captain was ruthless. He physically hurt the crew. One had died because of the beating.”
Abusive working and
living conditions
Work onboard distant water fishing vessels was performed under the conditions called “3D” - dirty, difficult, and dangerous. Living conditions were degraded and dehumanised.
14 Complaints
“According to the forensic doctor, one of our crew members died from eating spoiled food. We had also been drinking dirty water for a long time.”
“For nearly six months, we drank water that came out of the air conditioner. We also used the same water for cooking and shower. We were restricted from using clean water.
Well, after two or one and a half months someone died again”
Excessive overtime
Migrant fishers were often obliged to work excessive hours or days beyond the limits prescribed by national law or collective agreement, as the vessels were operating on high sea far away from any eyes to inspect.
Fishery is a labour-intensive industry which requires long hours of working. For example, operating an industrial tuna longliner requires at least 2,500-3,000 hooks over a distance of 100 kilometres, taking 5-6 hours to complete. Hauling longlines takes 11 hours or more.
A study by University of California in 2020, surveying a fishing time for drifting longlines in fishing season. 2
"81% of longliners engage in active fishing for at least 12 hours a day."
14 Complaints
Routine during fishing Season
on Longliner
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Way back home
Some migrant fishers were lucky enough to return home safely, but many of them ended up in other countries where vessels stopped and were too broke to go back to their homeland.
Many fishers faced salary reduction after their departure on port, due to the costs of loan, food, and accommodation--none of which they were informed beforehand.
Modern slavery at sea has led to violation in three crucial areas :
The problems involve more than a single country
One migrant fisher’s fate lies in the hands of many governments,
from departure states to seafood importer states.
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See the full name of country
Therefore, we need international instruments to protect the rights of fishing workers across countries.
So far, there are four main instruments regarding the issues.
However, some key ASEAN countries involved in the issues have neither ratified, nor implemented those measures yet.
See the full name of countryit’s time to raise your voice
to those in power to take serious action and stop modern slavery at sea in Southeast Asia.
Add your name. Tell ASEAN leaders to take action on forced labour at sea problem.
I urge ASEAN ministers to take action on the following recommendations:
Ratify and implement ILO Work in Fishing Convention (C-188) and relevant ILO Conventions
Collaborate with NGOs and trade unions to implement a strategy towards elimination of forced labour at sea
Challenge producers in the supply chain to conduct due diligence to eliminate forced labour in the workplace
Use market based disciplinary actions to force distant water fishing fleets to reform
Best Regards,
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