Korea has recently made serious progress to improve conditions for migrant crew on its distant-water fleet, starting to close deep inequalities and remove loopholes that allow crew to be abused at sea. However, although these are commendable steps, they must be built on to achieve the full systemic progress needed, says the Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF).

The Korean government announced its Plan for Further Enhancement for Working Conditions of Migrant Fishers on Distant Water Fishing Vessels (the Plan) on 29 March 2024, after four months of joint consultation with civil society and the fishing industry.

The Plan will enhance human rights protections onboard the Korean distant water fishing (DWF) fleet by introducing a maximum voyage length of 12 months, obliging Korean companies to cut their contracts with recruitment agencies that deduct crews’ salaries and setting up an online portal for crew to check their rights and report violations. The scope of bans on passport seizures is also extended - whereas previously vessel owners were banned from taking fishers’ passports, the same now explicitly applies to anyone, including owners, captains, other crew or agencies.

Most importantly, the government has agreed to keep civil society involved in the implementation and monitoring of the Plan, including labour inspections. All these commitments will improve transparency in fisheries governance, driving progress towards sustainable, legal and ethical seafood supply chains, says EJF.

However, the Korean government should take a further step to systematically improve human rights at sea and embed this into national legislation, according to the NGO. The International Labour Organization Work in Fishing Convention (ILO C188) provides governments around the world with a legal framework to ensure decent working conditions on fishing vessels. So far 21 countries including Thailand and Spain have ratified it, and Taiwan has incorporated it into national legislation.

Korea, as the world's fourth largest DWF nation with 4,248 migrant fishers across the fleet, should also ratify it and ensure sufficient resources to implement it, says EJF. The Plan is currently neutral on this, saying that “​​The ratification of the Convention will be considered upon consultation with stakeholders such as the fishing industry and cooperation for phased application of the Convention will be sought.”

EJF notes that as well as the weak legal status of the Plan, it also lacks measures to address wage discrepancies, where migrant crew are paid significantly less than equally-experienced Korean colleagues, and to ensure crew work reasonable hours when at sea. EJF also argues that the recruitment process for migrant crew should be more transparent and better monitored, to enable the Korean Government to accurately oversee this complex, cross-border movement of workers.

Steve Trent, EJF CEO and Founder, said: ”We applaud this progress and the inclusive manner in which it was made, thanks to the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries. It represents meaningful progress for fisheries transparency, for human rights, and for a more sustainable ocean. However, without a strong legal foundation, there is a risk that these policies will not be fully implemented.”

“We therefore encourage the Korean Government to join the growing number of countries ratifying ILO C188. This would give reassurance to market states importing Korean seafood products that they were caught by fishers working safely and with dignity, which is why more states are now requiring this ratification from the nations they buy from. Korea has the resources and the appetite for leadership to do this - it should do so now, as part of a broader commitment to the Global Charter for Fisheries Transparency.”

ENDS

Notes to editor

EJF works internationally to inform policy and drive systemic, durable reforms to protect our environment and defend human rights. We investigate and expose abuses and support environmental defenders, Indigenous peoples, communities, and independent journalists on the frontlines of environmental injustice. Our campaigns aim to secure peaceful, equitable, and sustainable futures.

Our investigators, researchers, filmmakers, and campaigners work with grassroots partners and environmental defenders across the globe. Our work to secure environmental justice aims to protect our global climate, ocean, forests, and wildlife and defend basic human rights. For more information or to speak to one of our expert analysts, please contact media@ejfoundation.org.