Tuesday 24 January saw Indonesian Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Susi Pudjiastuti take the latest step in protecting the rights of fishermen in Indonesian waters. Ministerial Regulation No. 2/2017 “creates a certification mechanism to ensure the fishing industry here is free from human rights violations” declared the Minister…

Indonesia has taken measured steps to address the issue, however, the first being the setting up of a task force to counter illegal fishing operations, as frequently these are closely tied to forced labour and human trafficking. To address the rights of those engaged in the legal industry, meanwhile, the Regulation on Fisheries Human Rights System and Certification was signed in December 2015.

Although a year has since passed before the implementation Regulation on Fisheries Human Rights Certification Requirements and Mechanism was signed this January, it was essential to ensure that it was both feasible and supports rather than hinders the establishment of a sustainable fisheries industry in Indonesia.

Simply put, under the new regulation, companies that fail to obtain human rights certification will not be allowed to operate in Indonesian waters. Among the requirements are a human rights policy, means of due diligence and remediation system in cases where violations may have occurred. Moreover, in a world first to ensure the wellbeing of both fishermen and port workers, each company in the fisheries sector will be required to submit the report of a detailed human rights audit…