The Indonesian Ministry of Manpower, in collaboration with the International Labour Organization (ILO), has reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding the labour rights of both domestic and migrant fishers. On 30 September 2025, a high-level tripartite stakeholders meeting was convened in Jakarta, bringing together representatives from key government ministries, employers’ associations, and trade unions to discuss the ratification of ILO Convention No. 188 on Work in Fishing. The meeting concluded with a shared agreement to pursue ratification by 2026, aligning with President Prabowo Subianto’s May Day 2025 call for accelerated action.
ILO Convention No. 188, adopted in 2007, sets international standards for fishers’ working and living conditions, covering service terms, accommodation, food, occupational safety and health, medical care, and social security. During the meeting, participants engaged with ILO experts to understand the Convention’s provisions, administrative procedures for ratification, technical requirements, and post-ratification reporting. The dialogue fostered collaboration between government, employer, and worker representatives, emphasizing decent work and fundamental rights in the fishing sector.
Minister of Manpower Yassierli stressed the urgency of developing a roadmap for ratification, highlighting it as a constitutional duty to protect fishers and create a lasting legacy of improved labour standards. Echoing this commitment, Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Sakti Wahyu Trenggono emphasized the Ministry’s focus on both sustainable management of marine resources and the welfare of fishers aboard domestic and migrant fishing vessels.
The initiative is supported by the ILO’s Ship to Shore Rights South-East Asia programme, which promotes safe migration and decent work in the blue economy. As part of this effort, the Ministry of Manpower and the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries have established Joint Inspection Teams in Central Java and North Kalimantan to monitor labour conditions onboard fishing vessels. ILO Country Director Simrin Singh highlighted that ratifying Convention No. 188 will make Indonesia the second ASEAN country to align with international labour standards, enhancing the sustainability, competitiveness, and protection of its fishing industry.
This regional programme, funded by the European Union and implemented with the ILO, the International Organization for Migration, and the FAO, seeks to strengthen labour rights, fair recruitment, and the elimination of exploitation across Southeast Asia’s fish and seafood supply chains. The 2026 ratification of ILO Convention No. 188 marks a pivotal step toward ensuring that fishers in Indonesia enjoy safe, fair, and regulated working conditions under globally recognized standards.
