The Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) has adopted new measures to protect fishing crew labour rights. The decision, made in Suva this week, marks the first time any regional fisheries body has implemented binding labour standards, setting an important precedent for workers’ rights at sea.
The Indonesian Migrant Workers Union (SBMI) played a crucial role in securing this victory, building on their decade-long campaign against slavery at sea. The new standards will require stricter oversight of recruitment agencies and better protections for crew members, including proper responses to injuries, illness, and death at sea. For Indonesia, the world’s largest supplier of fishing crews, this represents a significant step toward ending exploitation and ensuring decent work for maritime workers. SBMI Chairperson Hariyanto emphasises that these measures must now translate into stronger protections throughout the entire recruitment and deployment process, including pushing for Indonesia to ratify the ILO’s Work in Fishing Convention.
