Contact persons

English Inquiries:

Julie Blust, Global Labor Justice julieblust [at] globallaborjustice.org () 

+1-215-713-6777

Mandarin Inquiries:

Shih Yi-hsiang, Taiwan Association for Human Rights riverrain308 [at] tahr.org.tw () 

+886-920719347

With Super Typhoon Kong Rey hitting with full force, unions and civil society organizations are calling on the Taiwanese government and seafood industry to take immediate action to protect fishers and ensure they can safely leave their vessels

Migrant fishers were forced to stay on vessels during Typhoon Krathon, showing the seafood industry's blatant disregard for their lives

Taiwan-As Super Typhoon Kong Rey bears down, unions and civil society organizations in the Wi-Fi NOW for Fishers’ Rights campaign urgently demand the government and seafood industry take immediate action to protect the lives of fishers who were forced to remain on their vessels during a typhoon.

“Authorities must take decisive action by proactively visiting fishing ports to guarantee that crews are evacuated before a typhoon makes landfall. Waiting until a storm is underway poses significant danger, and timely evacuations are essential for ensuring safety,” said Mudzaker, Chair of the Indonesian Seafarers Gathering Forum (FOSPI)

News outlets reported that when Typhoon Krathon hit in early October, many migrant fishers were compelled to remain on their vessels, directly defying the “​​Principles for Docking Fishing Vessels and Sheltering Crew Members” set by the governing authority, the Fisheries Agency, and violating “Disaster Prevention and Protection Act.” Not only did the Fisheries Agency fail to enforce the law, but it also allowed county governments to overlook it, leaving the fishers to fend for their lives at the port during the storm. Now, a super typhoon is approaching that is expected to be far worse than Typhoon Krathon, and the Fisheries Agency still hasn't enforced its guidelines, which require vessel owners to evacuate workers from their vessels and seek safety on land.

During Typhoon Krathon, a delegation from the international labor rights organization, Global Labor Justice, was visiting Taiwan to assess the working conditions of foreign fishery workers and advocate for their rights and safety. During their visit, the delegation personally witnessed many foreign fishers who were told to return to their boats to make sure vessels did not collide with each other during a typhoon alert, unable to reach safe harbor or disembark. This left them vulnerable to the threats posed by strong winds and high waves. These workers not only faced the physical risks of intense storms but also suffered from fatigue, fear, and mental stress due to extended confinement, further compromising their health and safety.

“While everybody in Taiwan is asked to be evacuated from Typhoon, yet fishers are usually asked to stay on board to guard and protect the ship. This is unthinkable and this should not be practiced for any reason.,” said Father Nguyen Duy Trinh from Stella Maris Kaohsiung

“The government and seafood industry must prioritize the safety of fishers over vessels. We are a nation that prides itself on our commitment to human rights. It is unacceptable that we must remind the government and seafood industry that human lives should be prioritized over equipment,” said Shih Yi-hsiang form Taiwan Association for Human Rights.

“It is appalling that the government would treat migrant fishers as if their lives are less valuable than a boat. This highlights the urgent need to reform the seafood industry, including the seafood brands, that allow migrant fishers' lives to be discarded,” said Valery Algaza, Deputy Director of Global Labor Justice. 

“The Fisheries Agency's negligence in enforcing its own principles for docking fishing vessels and sheltering crew members during typhoons is shocking. It is deeply troubling that the Taiwanese government is prioritising the convenience of vessel operators over the safety of human lives. This negligence recklessly jeopardizes the lives of migrant fishers and endangers first responders who may be called upon to rescue them in perilous conditions. Immediate action is necessary to ensure the safety of all fishers,” said Mina Chiang, Director of Humanity Research Consultancy.
 

Video of fishermen on fishing boats during typhoon Krathon: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1ga2zn7rq048Xo-BLcuOLEsd_VqGSIQLf?usp=drive_link

超強颱風康芮逼近，工會與NGO籲台灣政府和海鮮產業即刻確保漁工安全，撤離漁船避難

外籍漁工在山陀兒颱風期間被迫留在船上，顯示海鮮產業公然漠視漁工生命

2024/10/31

發稿團體：Wi-Fi Now for Fisher’s Rights 倡議團隊

【台灣 - 10月31日】 - 隨著超強颱風康芮襲來，Wi-Fi NOW for Fishers Rights 倡議團隊中的工會和公民社會團體緊急要求台灣政府和海鮮產業立即採取行動，保護近來強烈颱風襲台期間仍被迫留在靠港漁船上的漁工生命。

「政府必須立即採取行動，主動視察漁港，確保漁船上的船員和漁工在颱風登陸前可以安全撤離。否則強颱來臨恐將造成巨大危險，及時疏散確保安全是當前至關重要的事情。」印尼海員同鄉聯誼會會長Mudzaker表示。

強烈颱風山陀兒（Typhoon Krathon）10月初才重創南台灣，今天強颱康芮（Kong-rey）再次直撲台灣本島，全台警戒，不論山區還是海邊，政府都呼籲人民切勿前往以免發生不幸災難。但社會各界可能不知道的是，儘管所有在台灣海域的漁船在此刻都已返港靠岸避難，但仍舊有許多遠洋漁工在強風大雨的颱風登陸此刻，必須居住在靠港的漁船上度過颱風期間，生命安全岌岌可危。據新聞媒體報導，強颱山陀兒來襲時，外籍漁工被迫留在船上，這直接違反了台灣政府漁業署制定的政策《颱風期間漁船進港及船員避風處理原則》，也違反了《災害防救法》。漁業署不僅沒有主動執行該法律，還放任地方政府忽視該法律的執行，導致漁工在強颱期間只能在港口自我求生。現在，另一個超強颱風康芮正在逼近，預計其強度將比山陀兒颱風嚴重得多，而漁業署仍未執行其政策，沒有撤離漁船上的漁工，讓漁工上岸避風。

10月初山陀兒颱風期間，正值包括「全球勞工正義」（Global Labor Justice）在內的國際勞工權利組織代表團訪問台灣，評估外籍漁業工人的工作條件，並維護他們的權利和安全。在訪問期間，代表團親眼目睹了外籍漁工在颱風警報期間，被告知返回漁船上，以確保船隻不會互相撞擊，導致漁工普遍無法上岸安全避難或下船。這使得漁工們很容易受到強風和巨浪的威脅。這些工人不僅面臨強烈颱風帶來的身體風險，還因長期封閉而承受著疲勞、恐懼和精神壓力，進一步損及其健康和安全。

「雖然在台灣的每個人都被要求撤離以躲避颱風，但外籍漁工卻通常被要求留在船上看守和保護船隻。這是不可想像的，而且無論出於何種原因都不應該這樣做。」 海星國際移工服務中心（Stella Maris Kaohsiung）阮維慶神父表示。

「政府和海鮮產業必須優先考慮漁工的安全，而不是優先考慮漁船的安全。我們台灣應該是一個以尊重人權為榮的國家。我們必須提醒政府和海鮮產業，人的生命應該優先於設備，現在的作法是無法忍受的。氣候變遷下的極端氣候，台灣人這個月經歷的兩次強烈颱風登陸非常罕見，當台灣中央地方政府以緊急應變中心嚴防各地災情發生同時，為台灣創造龐大漁業產值的外籍漁工們，卻已長期成為災害防救機制被遺漏的一群人，因為外籍漁工們颱風期間仍被迫在漁船上待命為船東雇船，究竟各地漁港有沒有依照《災害防救法》撤離漁船員到安全的避難所安置？台灣漁工在海上作業已經被視為強迫勞動，連在岸邊遭逢巨大災難襲來，也無法離船避難，漁業署和產業究竟有沒有將漁工的人命當一回事？」台灣人權促進會資深研究員施逸翔沈痛表示。

「令人震驚的是，政府對待外籍漁工的態度就好像他們的生命不如一艘船那麼有價值。這凸顯了海鮮產業迫切需要進行改革，也包括最下游的海鮮品牌商需要改革，整個海鮮供應鍊讓外籍漁工的生命被拋棄，」全球勞工正義副主任瓦萊裡·阿爾加薩(Valery Algaza)表示。

「漁業署未能好好落實其自身的《颱風期間漁船進港及船員避風處理原則》，讓人匪夷所思。更令人擔憂的是，台灣政府將船主的管理便利置於人命安全之上。這種疏忽不僅危及漁工的生命安全，還可能導致執行救援的第一線人員陷於險境。當務之急是採取行動，確保所有漁工的安全。」英國憫研顧問執行長江玉敏表示。

代表團呼籲台灣政府和有關部門緊急審查並改善外籍漁工的勞動條件，特別是在極端氣候情況下的安全保障措施。團隊成員也建議，應該制定更具約束力的法律條款，以確保颱風等危險天氣下，漁工能夠有安全的避險選擇，並得到應有的支持和保護。台灣法規目前也已經有規範各級政府，當災害來臨時，依災害防救法相關規定實施災害應變措施。且漁船所在地之直轄市、縣 (市)政府下達避難命令時，外國人應配合前往直轄市、縣(市)政府規劃之安置處所，或雇主準備之臨時安置處所。且雇主準備之臨時安置處所，應有適當之休息空間及衛生設施，並準備足夠飲食。

山陀兒颱風期間漁工在漁船上的影音檔：

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1ga2zn7rq048Xo-BLcuOLEsd_VqGSIQLf?usp=drive_link

新聞聯絡人：

中文聯絡人 施逸翔 台灣人權促進會 riverrain308 [at] tahr.org.tw () +886-920719347

英文聯絡人 Julie Blus 全球勞工正義  julieblust [at] globallaborjustice.org () +1-215-713-6777