March 12, 2026

Time: March 31, 2026 (Tuesday), 2:50 PM

Location: Civil Division, Pingtung District Court (No. 47, Hezuo Street, Pingtung City, Courtroom 3)

Eight fishers who were previously owed wages by the Taiwanese fishing vessel Yu Fu filed a civil lawsuit with the Pingtung District Court at the end of 2024. They seek payment of wage differentials in accordance with the minimum wage under the Labor Standards Act (LSA). The third hearing in this case is scheduled for March 31, 2026.

In August 2024, the Taiwanese distant-water fishing vessel Yu Fu was accused of withholding 15 months of wages from Indonesian fishers, as well as engaging in practices indicative of forced labor, including confiscation of identity documents and insufficient provision of food and drinking water during voyages. Following media exposure, the vessel owner claimed to have resolved the matter by calculating back pay based on a monthly wage of USD 550 per person (approximately NTD 17,800; adjusted to USD 570 per month as of January 1, 2026), paying a total of USD 80,850 (approximately NTD 2.64 million), along with an additional compensation of NTD 2,000 per worker.

However, the fishers represented by legal counsel, filed a civil lawsuit arguing that their wages should have been calculated in accordance with the minimum wage under the LSA. They are therefore seeking payment of wage differentials as well as damages for violations of their personality rights.

Litigation Team: Distant-Water Fisheries Are Subject to the LSA

The central argument advanced by the plaintiffs’ legal team is that labor relations aboard distant-water fishing vessels are governed by the LSA. The LSA applies to all employment relationships within Taiwan, regardless of the worker’s nationality, unless a specific industry has been formally excluded by the competent authority. To date, the Ministry of Labor has never issued any announcement excluding distant-water fisheries from the scope of the LSA.

In other words, foreign fishers working on Taiwanese-flagged distant-water vessels are effectively working within Taiwan’s jurisdiction and are therefore entitled to LSA protections, including minimum wage guarantees.

According to government announcements, the monthly minimum wage was NTD 26,400 in 2023 and NTD 27,470 in 2024. However, the employer paid only NTD 17,800 per month, which falls below the statutory standard. Although the vessel owner relied on the wage standard set forth in the Regulations on the Authorization and Management of Overseas Employment of Foreign Crew Members, this regulation is subordinate in legal hierarchy to the LSA and cannot override statutory minimum wage protections.

Furthermore, upon reviewing employment contracts and related documents, the plaintiffs’ legal team found that the Indonesian fishers had first entered Taiwan and completed their hiring procedures in Donggang, Pingtung. This contradicts the employer’s claim that they were “offshore employment.” In essence, these fishers were employed within Taiwan throughout the entire period and worked aboard a Taiwanese-flagged vessel. (For further legal details, please refer to the dedicated “Yu Fu” case page on this website.)

Prosecutors Decline to Indict Under Human Trafficking Law

Following the exposure of the Yu Fu case, the Indonesian fishers were identified as potential victims of human trafficking by the Ministry of Justice Investigation Bureau. The Pingtung District Prosecutors Office subsequently launched a criminal investigation against the vessel owner.

However, in April 2025, the prosecutors issued a non-prosecution decision, concluding that the fishers had received remuneration for their work and that there was no objective evidence demonstrating a “clear disproportion between labor and compensation.” Therefore, the case did not meet the threshold for prosecution under the Human Trafficking Prevention Act.

Supporting organizations and the plaintiffs were only informed of this decision in late June 2025, by which time the ten-day deadline to request reconsideration had already expired, leaving no opportunity for legal remedy. (See also the joint statement by supporting organizations: “Waiting for Justice: Taiwan’s Failure to Prosecute the Human Trafficking Case of Indonesian Fishers on the ‘Yu Fu’ Violates International Legal Standards.”)

Third Civil Hearing: Seeking Judicial Progress and Public Attention

This civil case has encountered several procedural setbacks. After the complaint was filed in 2024, the case proceeded to mediation in February 2025. However, the mediation failed due to the absence of a representative from the vessel owner. The first and second hearings were held in August and November 2025, respectively, but progress was delayed due to the reassignment and retirement of the presiding judges.

The upcoming hearing on March 31, 2026, will be the third hearing in the case and the first under the newly assigned judge. It is expected to focus on clarifying the disputed issues, organizing evidence, and confirming the direction of the proceedings.

Members of the public who are concerned about this case, migrant workers’ rights, and the development of Taiwan’s fishing industry are welcome to attend the hearing and show their support.