Taiwanese fishing vessels are increasingly relying on migrant fishermen coming from Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam. This study compared the three groups of fishermen in terms of the recruitment process, their working and living conditions, their access to support and assistance, and based on these findings, offered recommendations to promote the fishermen’s protection. Broadly speaking, fishermen engaged in domestic fishing are better protected than those in distant water fishing. Cooperation between the origin countries and Taiwan, the involvement of other stakeholders in vessel and labor inspection, and the ratification of Convention No. 188, Work in Fishing Convention, are among the study’s recommendations.

This research was conducted between August 2018 and April 2019. It was part of “The Future of Work, Labour After Laudato Si” global project, which was coordinated and supported by the International Catholic Migration Commission.