From September 2014 to July 2020, Serikat Buruh Migran Indonesia (SBMI) received a total of 338 complaints regarding forced labor at sea. SBMI, the Indonesian Migrant Workers Union, is a non-profit organization dedicated to advocating for the welfare and rights of Indonesian migrant fishers. In 2020, the organization recorded 104 complaints, the highest number to date, marking an increase from the 86 complaints received in 2019.

Decades of overfishing have forced industrial vessels to venture further into the high seas in search of profitable catches. This practice, known as distant-water fishing (DWF), occurs far beyond a nation’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ), allowing vessels to evade jurisdiction and oversight from coastal nations. Through transshipment, where a secondary vessel transfers fish and supplies between ports, the primary vessel can stay at sea for extended periods—sometimes for months or even years—helping to reduce fuel costs and maximize fishing time.

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