In March 2026, the EMC4C Project Team- some traveling from abroad, others already on site – gathered in Kaohsiung, Taiwan to install Wi-Fi on an industrial purse seine vessel and provide training to crew members and captains on its use. This was the first purse seine vessel supported by the EMC4C work.
Kaohsiung is Taiwan’s key hub for the distant water fishing (DWF) industry. The city is home to thecountry’s largest deep-sea port and a wide range of supply chain actors, including fishing companies, logistics providers, ultra-low-temperature storage and freezing facilities, and labor recruitment agencies, as well as unions and frontline organizations supporting migrant fishers. Project work took place at Cijin Port, a narrow barrier island adjacent to the main Kaohsiung port area. The participating purse seine vessel was docked at a shipyard, where our team, boarded to carry out equipment installations and conduct training sessions with captains and the crew.
For our team, this visit represented a new and exciting opportunity. Our prior EMC4C work has focused on tuna longline vessels. Purse seiners operate at a larger scale, have distinct fishing methods, onboard rhythms, and different crew structures. Typically, our Wi-Fi training is delivered alongside electronic monitoring (EM) installations. In this case, however, the vessel already had EM in place, allowing us to focus entirely on crew connectivity. This more targeted approach helped generate stronger interest and buy-in among industry stakeholders, and importantly, prompted us to adapt both our installation protocols and the way we delivered training.
We believe that the learnings from this work from one vessel type to another strengthen our overall approach, and that expanding this work across vessel types and fishing sectors is essential to have lasting industry-wide impact.
During this weeklong visit in March, and two follow-up sessions in April, the team completed the following:
- Trained four officers (a Taiwanese Fishing Master, a Taiwanese Chief Engineer, a Chinese Captain, and a Filipino Radio Operator) and 14 Indonesian, 17 Filipino, and five Chinese crew members. This was our largest and most multilingual crew to date. Working across different cultures requires more preparation and real-time adaptability, emphasizing that effective engagement must be responsive to the distinct needs and communication styles of each individual vessel.
- Signed a Wi-Fi Access Agreement between all crew and a representative of their employer.
- Trained all crew on their basic human rights and how these relate to their work at sea, as well as how to use existing grievance mechanisms if their rights are violated.
- Conducted in-depth interviews with the Fishing Master, three crew members, and two managerial staff from the vessel company to understand how crew welfare and connectivity at sea can be improved while ensuring safe and efficient fishing operations.
- Formed a crew committee with four elected representatives; two Indonesian and two Filipino crew members were selected by their fellow crew as trusted leaders to support communication with external stakeholders and promote the fair use of Wi-Fi across the vessel.
- Met with the Seamen’s Fishermen’s Service Center (SFSC) of the Presbyterian Church of Taiwan, a frontline organization that operates a grievance mechanism for migrant fishers and collaborates with our project.
Building on our previous experience in Majuro, the team refined both our training and installation approaches to better fit the context of this vessel. During the training sessions, we introduced a participatory activity inviting crew members to draw how they envisioned using Wi-Fi at sea and share their ideas with the group. We remained attentive to the crew’s cultural diversity, adapting the exercise to each person’s level of comfort. This approach proved effective in opening dialogue, helping crew articulate the value of connectivity in their own terms and strengthening engagement with our team.
Operationally, working on a larger purse seine vessel – with its heavier maintenance demands and more complex onboard rhythms – demanded greater schedule flexibility and closer coordination with vessel operators and senior crew. These adjustments were critical to ensuring that both the training and installations were delivered smoothly and effectively.
At sea, connectivity is increasingly central to protecting human rights and supporting dignity at work. As is visible in the fishers’ drawings, access to communication not only enables crew members to stay in touch with their families but also strengthens their ability to seek support, access information, and raise concerns when needed. We were encouraged by the openness of workers to use Wi-Fi, engage in training and conversations, and to learn how to safely and responsibly integrate technology into their daily work at sea.
Looking ahead, we will be in Pago Pago, American Samoa in May 2026, to complete installations for two new vessels, as well as equipment maintenance and updated training for three existing project vessels.
This is part of a special EM4humanity series you can track through the timeline on our new EM4humanity section here.
