KKP and ILO Push for Decent Working Conditions to Prevent IUU Fishing Practices

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - The Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) along with the International Labour Organization (ILO) are pushing for decent working conditions for fishing vessel crews as part of efforts to prevent Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing practices. This push was conveyed during a regional workshop titled "Introducing Decent Work Conditions in the Fisheries Sector" held in Jakarta.

In a statement received on Monday, September 21, 2026, the workshop was organized by the Secretariat of the Regional Plan of Action to Promote Responsible Fishing Practices including Combating Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated Fishing (RPOA IUU) in cooperation with the ILO. The two day event brought together participating countries of RPOA IUU, experts from the ILO, FAO, WCPFC, and FFA, labor authorities, law enforcement agencies, and representatives of fisheries worker union associations.

Director General of Marine and Fisheries Resources Surveillance (PSDKP) Pung Nugroho Saksono, known as Ipunk, said IUU Fishing is not merely a matter of fish theft. "Illegal fishing is often associated with other crimes, namely labor violations, neglect of safety, and even exploitation of vessel crews," he said.

According to him, this means surveillance can no longer focus solely on vessel legality. "Surveillance must look at the entire operational aspect of a vessel, from legality, documents, fishing gear, and catch results, to the working conditions and safety of the crew," he said.

Ipunk added that responsible fisheries must go hand in hand with the protection of the people working within them. He emphasized the importance of strengthening cross sector and cross country cooperation to identify non compliant vessels while also preventing crew exploitation. "Fisheries surveillance requires synergy between fisheries authorities, labor authorities, law enforcement, and countries across the region," he said.

Secretary of the Directorate General of PSDKP, who also serves as Executive Director of the RPOA IUU Secretariat, Saiful Umam, added that responsible fisheries relate not only to the sustainability of fish stocks, but must also take social aspects of fisheries management into account. "We encourage RPOA IUU member countries to continue improving decent working conditions within their national fisheries management systems in order to realize safe, fair, and responsible fisheries throughout the region and to prevent illegal fishing," Saiful said.

During the workshop, participants also discussed international standards related to the working and living conditions of fishers, including ILO Convention No 188 on Work in Fishing, 2007. This convention covers provisions on working conditions, occupational safety and health, medical care, and social security for fishing vessel crews.

Participants further discussed the development of regional standards applied by the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) and ASEAN. Discussions also covered strategies for integrating international labor standards into the RPOA IUU regional framework to strengthen the protection of vessel crews across the region.