ILO: Migrant Fishers in SE Asia Face Exploitation

Migrant workers in the fishing and seafood processing sectors in South-East Asia continue to face forced labour, long working hours and restricted rights, according to a new report by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) released on 25 February 2026 in Bangkok. The findings highlight ongoing hardship for thousands employed across Thailand and East Asia despite improvements over the past decade.

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The report, funded by the European Union (EU) and entitled Towards Fair Seas: Recruitment and Working Conditions for Migrant Workers in the Fishing and Seafood Processing Sectors in South-East Asia, surveyed 1,262 return migrant workers in 2022. Respondents were from Cambodia, Indonesia, Myanmar and Vietnam and had worked for employers in Thailand, Taiwan, China, South Korea and Japan.

The study found that fishers frequently work long and unpredictable hours, are excluded from basic labour and social protections, and receive relatively low and irregular wage payments. Those in the fishing sector reported working an average of 14 hours per day, 6.7 days per week. Migrant workers in seafood processing reported an average of 9 hours per day, 6.1 days per week, with the vast majority being women.

The report noted that fishers working in isolated conditions at sea are often unable to access assistance when faced with exploitation or abuse. Among migrant fishers who worked on vessels normally at sea for six months or more, 34 per cent experienced situations indicative of forced labour. Overall, 20 out of every 100 migrant workers surveyed reported severe abuses suggestive of forced labour, while only 33 per cent sought assistance.

It also highlighted restrictions on freedom of association and collective bargaining due to legal barriers to migrant organising and the limited number of trade unions active in the fishing sector. Speaking at a symposium to launch the report at the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre, organised by SEA Junction, ILO representative Benjamin Harkins said that in Thailand less than 1 per cent of migrant workers in the sector are unionised, with the Thai government citing national security as the reason.

The report further raised concerns about gender-based inequalities. It stated that some employers view women migrants as more obedient and easier to control, contributing to gender wage gaps, lack of maternity protection, violence and harassment.

Khoasod reported that nearly four out of 10 migrant workers surveyed said they were unable to find paid work upon returning to their home country, indicating continuing economic vulnerability.

Key Takeaways

• One in five migrant workers surveyed experienced severe abuses indicative of forced labour.

• Fishers reported working an average of 14 hours per day and 6.7 days per week.

• Less than 1 per cent of migrant workers in Thailand’s sector are unionised.

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Adapted by ASEAN Now Khaosod 26 Feb 2026