Safe seas, fair work: Indonesia’s push for ratification of ILO Convention No. 188 on Work in Fishing

BATAM, Riau Islands, Indonesia (ILO News) - In December, around 100 stakeholders from the fishing sector, along with a representative of the Indonesian Parliament, gathered in Batam, Riau Islands Province. As a major transit hub for migrant fishers, Batam has seen rising cases of irregular migration and deportation. The meeting aimed to reinforce stakeholder commitment and clarify roles in promoting safer migration practices in line with national priorities.

Supported by the ILO's Ship to Shore Rights South-East Asia: Safe Migration for Decent Work in the Blue Economy, the discussion focused on the need to strengthen legal protection for fishery workers by setting minimum labour standards that go beyond existing national regulations. Participants highlighted that ratifying the ILO Convention No. 188 on Work in Fishing would improve protections for Indonesian fishers working both domestically and abroad, particularly migrant fishers who remain among the most vulnerable workers.

Albert Bonasahat, National Coordinator of the programme, emphasized that migrant fishers should be fully recognized under Indonesia's migrant worker protection framework. He also addressed common misconceptions surrounding ratification, noting that concerns about vessels being barred from operating are unfounded.

"Ratification is not just about compliance," he said. "It can enhance Indonesia's competitiveness, improve recruitment practices and strengthen the country's reputation in global seafood markets that demand decent work standards."

Members of Parliament and local officials echoed the importance of ratification. Yulius Setiarto, from Commission I of the DPR, highlighted its role in strengthening state protection for Indonesian citizens working in international waters. Meanwhile, representatives from migrant worker protection services stressed the urgency of ensuring basic rights such as fair wages, rest hours and occupational safety at sea.

"Ratification is not just about compliance. It can enhance Indonesia's competitiveness, improve recruitment practices and strengthen the country's reputation in global seafood markets that demand decent work standards.

Echoing this view, Qistina Satriavi Yusuf of the Indonesian Migrant Worker Protection Service Centre in Riau Islands noted that fishery crew members remain among the most vulnerable workers and urgently require stronger protection.

The Batam meeting followed a national dialogue held in Jakarta in September, chaired by the Minister of Manpower, and aligns with President Prabowo Subianto's call to accelerate ratification. The government aims to complete the ratification process by 2026.

This initiative is part of the ILO's Ship to Shore Rights South-East Asia programme, a regional initiative funded by the European Union (EU). The ILO implements the programme in collaboration with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), with the overall objective of promoting safe migration and decent work for a sustainable fish and seafood supply chain in South-East Asia. The programme addresses the specific vulnerabilities that migrant workers face in these sectors, as well as the risks they encounter during the labour migration process, which can lead to decent work deficits, labour rights abuses and forced labour.