Fishing is one of the biggest industries in Asia Pacific.

It is estimated that forced labour in the agriculture sector – which includes fishing – generates US$400 million in illegal profits annually in Asia Pacific.

An estimated 54.8 million people, many of them boys/men from developing countries, are working in the fishing industry worldwide, which includes 38.3 million fishing vessels at sea.

Fishers often face extremely difficult working conditions, including 18-20 hour workdays, food and water shortages, cramped living quarters and they are required to work when they are ill or tired.

Owners of fishing vessels are able to increase their profits by underpaying (or not paying) workers, forcing them to work long hours with no weekly day off, and not respecting safety laws.

Boat owners and managers sometimes prevent fishers from leaving through threats of financial penalty and/or violence. In some cases, victims are kept working on boats without pay for many years.

More and more, fishing vessels and crew need to go far from coasts to reach abundant fishing grounds. This isolation makes it easier to exploit workers.

An estimated 1 million people in Asia Pacific are victims of forced labour in the agriculture sector.