U.S. Report Flags Taiwan and Indonesia for Fishing Labor Abuses Despite High Rankings
The U.S. State Department has placed Taiwan in Tier 1 and Indonesia in Tier 2 in its 2026 Trafficking in Persons Report, while documenting persistent human trafficking and labor abuses across both commercial fishing sectors.
Taiwan and Indonesia Maintain State Department Trafficking Tiers
The 2026 Trafficking in Persons Report evaluates nations based on the prevalence of human trafficking activity and government efforts to address it. Tier 1 represents the least concern, while Tier 4 marks the highest concern. Taiwan remained on Tier 1 because authorities reportedly met minimum standards for eliminating trafficking through sustained efforts during the reporting period. Indonesia stayed on Tier 2, reflecting significant efforts to meet standards despite not fully achieving them.
Despite these tier assignments, the U.S. government detailed severe compliance failures in both jurisdictions. Officials noted that Taiwan recorded zero indictments in distant water fishing cases since 2022. The report also cited markedly fewer labor traffickers convicted in Taiwan, inadequate implementation of victim identification procedures, and a lack of civil society participation in onboard fisher interviews. Chronic interagency coordination gaps and insufficient inspection protocols continue to impede enforcement in Taiwan’s distant water fleet.
For Indonesia, the State Department reported fewer investigations and only four trafficking convictions over the reporting period. Investigators found that traffickers fraudulently recruit fishers and subject them to long hours on domestic vessels and overseas distant water fleets operated by China, the Republic of Korea, and Taiwan. Senior crewmembers routinely deny fishers access to medical care, and some vessels retain workers long after contract completion.
Greenpeace Criticism Over Continuing Abuses
Environmental activist group Greenpeace challenged the U.S. government for maintaining high tier rankings for Taiwan and Indonesia despite documented infractions. Greenpeace USA Oceans Director Kate Melges criticized the evaluation framework in a public release.
How many times will the U.S. government document forced labor in the fishing industry and then award these same rankings? Taiwan and Indonesia occupy powerful positions in the global seafood supply chain and could take steps to address forced labor and human trafficking, yet meaningful progress remains minimal. The U.S. government’s own findings should be grounds for accountability, not an annual exercise in describing the same abuses. Fishers cannot afford another year of business as usual.
Greenpeace is currently providing legal support to four Indonesian fishers attempting to hold Bumble Bee accountable for labor violations under the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act. A U.S. federal judge allowed that lawsuit to proceed last year.