ILO Highlights Data’s Power to Fight Fisheries Crime, Urges Global Action at Summit

During the conference, ILO urged partner countries under the Copenhagen Declaration to scale up similar surveys and invest in data collection as a cornerstone of the fight against fisheries crime.

At the 2025 Blue Justice Conference in Copenhagen, the International Labour Organization (ILO) underscored the pivotal role of data-driven approaches in addressing fisheries crime, forced labour and trafficking at sea. With global fishing industries increasingly vulnerable to exploitation, the ILO emphasized that accurate, systematic data is essential for translating international commitments into meaningful protections for fishers.

Indonesia’s First Survey on Decent Work in Marine Fishing: A Milestone for the Region

A centerpiece of the ILO’s presentation was Indonesia’s first-ever Survey on Decent Work in Marine Fishing, developed with ILO technical support under the Blue Justice Initiative and implemented by the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN).

The survey collected insights from more than 3,400 fishers across Indonesia, generating the country’s most comprehensive dataset to date on:

• Working conditions

• Forced labour indicators

• Trafficking risks

• Legal and contractual protection gaps

• Experiences of migrant fishers

The findings are already informing major policy reforms, including strengthened port inspections, enhanced labour protections, and new measures to safeguard migrant fishers—who face disproportionate risks in long-haul and deep-sea fishing operations.

ILO Senior Economist Francesca Francavilla highlighted the broader significance of the work:

“Reliable data is a game-changer in the fight against forced labour and trafficking at sea. The survey demonstrates how statistical tools can turn global commitments into concrete action. We now have a model that other countries can replicate to accelerate progress under the Copenhagen Declaration.”

Launch of the Toolkit for Surveys on Decent Work in Marine Fishing

To support global replication, the event also marked the launch of the Toolkit for Surveys on Decent Work in Marine Fishing—a practical, comprehensive resource that helps governments and partners design, implement and compare national surveys.

The toolkit includes:

• Standardized questionnaires aligned with international labour standards

• An indicator framework covering key dimensions of decent work

• Clear methodological guidance to ensure cross-country comparability

It is grounded in global labour standards such as:

• Work in Fishing Convention, 2007 (No. 188)

• Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (No. 29)

By promoting consistency and data quality, the toolkit strengthens countries’ abilities to identify labour abuses, monitor compliance and develop targeted policy interventions.

A Call for Global Evidence-Based Action

During the conference, ILO urged partner countries under the Copenhagen Declaration to scale up similar surveys and invest in data collection as a cornerstone of the fight against fisheries crime. The Organization stressed that without high-quality, comparable evidence, efforts to combat forced labour, trafficking and exploitation at sea remain fragmented and insufficient.

Funding partners—including the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD) and the Norwegian Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries—expressed continued support through:

• Regional coordination hubs

• Technological tools and digital platforms

• Financing for national surveys and capacity-building programmes

Their commitments reinforce a growing international recognition that labour rights, maritime security and sustainable ocean governance are deeply interconnected.

Blue Justice Conference 2025: United in Action

Co-hosted by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Government of Norway, the Blue Justice Conference brought together leaders and experts from 26 countries under the theme “United in Action Against Fisheries Crime.”

The ILO’s intervention highlighted the human dimension of fisheries crime, reminding participants that beyond lost revenue and environmental harm, the fishing industry continues to be a frontline for some of the most severe labour rights abuses worldwide. Strengthening data systems and labour standards enforcement, the ILO noted, is essential to protect workers and advance the broader goals of sustainable and just ocean governance.