STF Releases Groundbreaking Research On Indonesian Fisher Recruitment -- SEP'25
The Seafood Task Force (STF), a leading trade association representing members of the global tuna and shrimp supply chains, released groundbreaking research revealing the significant recruitment fees paid by Indonesian fishers seeking employment on Taiwan’s distant-water tuna vessels. The report, which was conducted in partnership with Impactt Limited, offers unprecedented insight into the recruitment corridor between Indonesia and Taiwan.
Indonesia is home to over 50,000 fishers working on distant-water vessels, making up 62% of all foreign migrant fishers in Taiwan, based on data from the International Organization for Migration (UN IOM) and the Ministry of Protection of Indonesian Migrant Workers (KP2MI). With Taiwan operating the world’s second-largest distant-water fishing fleet, consisting of more than 1,100 vessels, this corridor represents one of the most significant labor migration routes in the global seafood industry. Reports show that Indonesian fishers pay thousands of dollars throughout their recruitment journey. These fees often represent months of future earnings and create cycles of debt that undermine worker dignity and freedom.
The report reveals a multi-layered system involving various stakeholders who extract fees from vulnerable workers. The pandemic has exacerbated these challenges. Increased unemployment in Indonesia has made workers more vulnerable to deceptive recruitment practices, while processing times for documentation have lengthened significantly.
Indonesian fishers must also complete mandatory training programs before deployment depending on their experience. They generally bear these costs themselves rather than having them covered by employers.
Despite new regulations in both Indonesia and Taiwan intended to protect migrant fishers, significant gaps remain. To address these gaps, the STF has started engaging with Indonesian and Taiwanese authorities.
As a result, the STF has been leading industry discussions in this specific area, building out the good work undertaken at their recent Indonesia Summit in May 2025, where their research examined recruitment practices through desktop studies and stakeholder interviews, including insights from Indonesian and Taiwanese manning agencies and industry experts.
The joint STF and Impactt research outlines several immediate and long-term steps for stakeholders committed to responsible recruitment. In the short term, it recommends mapping all legitimate administrative fees to clearly distinguish legal from illegal charges, increasing transparency around hidden costs—particularly those imposed by informal brokers—and promoting greater data sharing among industry players. Long-term solutions include transitioning to employer-paid recruitment models, reducing reliance on complex agency systems, and strengthening coordination between Indonesian and Taiwanese authorities.
The study’s methodology combined a desktop review of publicly available research, including reports from organizations such as IOM and ILO, with interviews conducted with two Indonesian recruitment agencies and consultations with four industry experts, including government representatives.
Looking ahead, the STF’s Responsible Recruitment working group will use these findings to develop action plans for the next 12 months to help with the transition to employer-paid recruitment models and improving coordination between Indonesian and Taiwanese regulatory bodies.
STF Executive Director, Martin Thurley said:
“This research marks a major step forward in understanding recruitment practices in the tuna industry with findings that provide a solid foundation for action.”
The STF was founded in 2014 and by cooperating with organizations such as Impactt, showcases how industry-led initiatives can effectively tackle major issues in global seafood sustainability and human rights. For over the past decade, the STF has achieved significant practical successes, including mapping supply chains at both vessel and farm level, conducting relevant risk assessments, fostering government collaborations, and implementing worker training programs.
If you wish to request a copy of the report, please get in touch with nattaphol.r@seafoodtaskforce.global with your name and the organization you represent/are affiliated with.
Disclaimer: In undertaking this study, STF Members did not discuss or exchange non-public competitively sensitive information (such as prices, suppliers, wages, etc.), that they make individual decisions about their choice of suppliers and terms of business therewith, and that this study is intended to identify ways to improve conditions for migrant fishers and laborers in the seafood industry.
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For media inquiries, please contact: stf@thephagroup.com
About the Seafood Task Force:
The Seafood Task Force (STF) was established in 2014 to restore global confidence to trade, following concerns about social and environmental abuse in global tuna and shrimp supply chains. It is made up of over 50 major retailers, brands, food service companies and their supply chain partners.
The STF drives supply chain oversight at scale, pioneering a pro-competitive approach that makes it easier for its members to meet international standards and growing due diligence requirements.
The STF is a US-based, not-for-profit trade association established for the seafood industry by the seafood industry. Its vision is a future where its members’ seafood supply chains are fully traceable, free from the risk of human rights violations and free from environmental degradation.
For more information: https://seafoodtaskforce.global/
About Impactt:
Impactt Limited is a specialist consultancy focused on supply chain transparency, labour rights, and sustainable business practices. The company works with organisations to assess, understand and improve their social and environmental impact across global supply chains.
For more information: www.impacttlimited.com