Southeast Asia—Addressing Labor Exploitation in Fishing in ASEAN (ALFA)

Collectively, the 10 countries that comprise the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) contribute more than 20 percent of global fish production. In 2022, six out of 10 ASEAN member states were listed among the top 25 countries for marine capture fisheries.

The fishing industry and seafood supply chains play major roles in ASEAN economies, including the region’s gross domestic product and millions of employment opportunities. As the region’s fishing industry continues to thrive, it has created repercussions on illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, and exploitative and abusive treatment of workers to proliferate, including treatment that rises to the level of forced labor and human trafficking. However, oversight has not kept pace, and a policy gap still exists.

Partnered with the U.S. Department of Labor, the Addressing Labor Exploitation in Fishing in ASEAN (ALFA) project supports regional governments in building the capacity to coordinate and collaborate across its members to mitigate forced labor and promote responsible labor practices in the fishing industry.

Sample Activities

• Establish partnership with ASEAN Senior Labour Officials Meeting and ASEAN Labour Inspection Committee, and other ASEAN Sectoral Bodies across the three pillars, including Senior Officials Meeting of the ASEAN Ministers on Agriculture and Forestry, ASEAN Sectoral Working Group on Fisheries, ASEAN Commission on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children, Senior Officials Meeting on Rural Development and Poverty Eradication, ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights, and Senior Officials Meeting on Transnational Crime, among others.
• Support the development of ASEAN regional knowledge products including the ongoing ASEAN Regional Study on Labour Practices in Fishing Sector and ASEAN Guidelines on Strengthening Labor Inspection in the Fishing Sector.
• Design and implement training to increase the capacity of ASEAN officials in addressing labor exploitation in fishing and for civil society and worker organizations to effectively engage with ASEAN on forced labor and improving working conditions in the fishing sector.
• Enhance opportunities for ASEAN engagement with the private sector, worker organizations, and civil society on responsible business and labor practices and eliminating forced labor in the fishing industry.

Select Results

• Supported the development of the following policy documents: ASEAN Declaration on the Placement and Protection of Migrant Fishers (2023), ASEAN Declaration on the Protection of Migrant Workers in Crisis Situations (2023), ASEAN Guidelines on the Protection of Migrant Workers in Crisis Situations (2023), and ASEAN Declaration on the Prevention and Elimination of Child Labour, Including Worst Forms of Child Labour (2024).
• Partnered with the International Organization for Migration and ASEAN–Australia Counter Trafficking to provide expertise and support to the technical workshops and development of ASEAN Guidelines on Placement and Protection of Migrant Fishers that was endorsed by the 2024 ASEAN Labour Minister’s Meeting.
• Partnered with the International Labour Organization to support the technical workshops and development of ASEAN Roadmap on Prevention and Elimination of Child Labour, Including Worst Forms of Child Labour.