The perils of Filipino fishermen in Taiwan

KAOSHIUNG, Taiwan –  Migrant fishermen in Taiwan  must be able to live onshore instead of sleeping on the boats on which they work.

This is the call of migrant rights and church groups after three Filipino and three Indonesian fishermen were killed when the bridge in Nanfang’ao Port collapsed on October 1, crushing their boats. Ten people were also injured in the disaster. The incident also left 18 migrant fishermen, 14 Filipino and 4 Indonesian homeless.

“I hope that this incident will serve as a lesson for all of us, especially the Taiwan authorities and employers, that fishermen should not live on boats, because boats are a place of work and not a home,” said Fr. Joy Tajonera, a Filipino priest connected with Ugnayan Migrant and Immigrant Ministry in Taiwan.

An oil tank truck was on the bridge when it collapsed and ignited after falling into the waterway, spewing smoke into the air. As it fell, the bridge crushed three fishing boats beneath it, injuring and trapping a number of migrant fishermen on board the vessels.

Out of the 14 Filipino migrant fishermen, Ugnayan is now assisting five Filipino fishermen who wanted to transfer to a factory job.  Two  are returning to the Philippines to live while  the other  seven are transferring to new fishing employers.

The five fishermen were present during the recent  World Conference  of the  International Christian Maritime Association (ICMA)   in Kaohsiung, Taiwan where they shared their experiences to the delegates.

“The Lord guides us in our journey through life much like the captain of a ship. In this moment of loss and misfortune, let us not lose our sight on God, set our vision to God, turn always to Him and trust Him all the more. Be strong. As we sail on this sea of life, know that Jesus is the captain of the ship, the captain of souls,” Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines-Episcopal Commission on Migrants and Itinerant People (CBCP-ECMI) chairman, Balanga Bishop Ruperto C. Santos said during the mass held at the Holy Rosary Cathedral in Kaohsiung, Taiwan.

Taiwan’s estimated $2 billion fishing industry operates over a third of the world’s longline tuna vessels.

As of the end of April, the Ministry of Labor (MOL)  reported that there were 12,406 migrant fishermen in Taiwan, adding that 12,383 work on fishing boats, while 23 are employed at fish farms. However, NGOs estimates higher number of migrant fishermen, mostly undocumented.

Labor issues have long troubled the global fishing industry, and Taiwan is no exception.

Migrant fishermen are a particularly vulnerable population.

The 2018 US State Department’s Country Report on Human Rights Practices for Taiwan flagged the practices of recruitment and brokerage agencies, which facilitate the hiring of fishermen and other migrant workers, as leaving workers “vulnerable to debt bondage.” This occurs when  recruitment agency hires a foreign fishing worker and withholds his  passport or deducts heavy service fees from the his pay.

The Report also noted mistreatment and poor working conditions for foreign fishermen remained common. Foreign fishermen recruited offshore were not entitled to the same labor rights, wages, insurance, and pensions as those recruited locally.

Many  fishermen frequently report non-payment, long work hours, and verbal and physical abuse, often at the hands of Taiwanese captains.

Regulations only require a minimum monthly wage of $450.00 for foreign fishermen, significantly below Taiwan’s minimum wage.  Moreover, NGOs reported that foreign fishing crews on Taiwan-flagged long-haul vessels generally received wages below $450 per month because of dubious deductions for administrative fees and deposits.

The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) earlier urged Filipino fishermen to acquire the proper documents, certification, and safety training requirements before working in Taiwan.

The agency   said applicants should not use backdoor exits, and instead, engage the services of licensed recruitment agencies with job orders approved by the POEA.

Illegal recruiters transport fishermen who choose to avoid the legal process to remote facilities outside of Taiwan that have been dubbed as ‘floating barracks’ and have been known to have substandard living conditions.

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Atty. Dennis R. Gorecho heads the seafarers’ division of the Sapalo Velez Bundang Bulilan law offices. For comments, email [email protected], or call 09175025808 or 09088665786).