U.S. State Department Maintains Taiwan and Indonesia Tier Rankings Amid Forced Labor Findings
The U.S. State Department issued its annual Trafficking in Persons Report on Oct. 8, 2026, keeping Taiwan at Tier 1 for the 17th consecutive year and Indonesia at Tier 2 despite documenting persistent forced labor across both countries’ fishing industries.
The United States imports up to 90% of its seafood, meaning domestic consumers frequently purchase fish harvested by distant-water vessels operating under exploitative conditions. According to the federal report, Taiwan struggles with a persistent failure to criminally prosecute forced labor, particularly on distant-water vessels. The documentation also highlights inadequate Wi-Fi access for fishers at sea and a lack of alignment between local legislation and international labor conventions.
Indonesia faces similar scrutiny over its domestic and foreign fishing sectors. The State Department identified the nation’s fishing industry as among the most highly exploitative in the country, driven by a failure to implement, oversee, and enforce basic labor regulations.
Ahead of the report’s publication, Greenpeace USA, Greenpeace Indonesia, and 10 coalition partners submitted extensive evidence documenting ongoing human rights violations. The coalition pointed to excessive time spent at sea without port returns, severe communication barriers, weak enforcement, and a lack of worker protections.
Advocates and Legal Challenges Target Supply Chain Exploitation
Kate Melges, Greenpeace USA Oceans Director, criticized the outcome, stating that the federal government continues to document abuses while issuing favorable rankings to powerful seafood suppliers.
Legal actions are testing accountability frameworks across international jurisdictions. In August, a Taiwanese court acquitted the captain and crew members of the Da Wang, a Taiwanese-owned fishing vessel, following human trafficking and forced labor allegations. The local prosecutor plans to appeal the verdict.
Meanwhile, a separate civil suit moves forward in the United States. Four Indonesian fishers filed the lawsuit, alleging that tuna brand Bumble Bee benefited from years of forced labor they endured at sea.
The Greenpeace Beyond Seafood campaign is urging comprehensive reforms across the entire supply chain. The initiative calls on governments, vessel owners, seafood brands, importers, and retailers to dismantle the isolation at sea that enables severe labor abuses.
Frequently Asked Questions About Seafood Supply Chain Labor Abuses
Why did Taiwan retain a Tier 1 ranking despite documented labor violations?
The U.S. State Department identifies persistent failures by Taiwan to protect fishers from forced labor, yet left the government’s ranking unchanged.
How does the U.S. seafood market connect to overseas forced labor?
The United States imports up to 90% of its consumed seafood. Much of this supply originates from fishing vessels flagged to nations like Taiwan or crewed by nationals from countries like Indonesia, integrating exploited labor directly into commercial supply chains.
What specific changes are advocacy groups demanding from the seafood industry?
Greenpeace and its coalition partners are demanding that vessel owners, brands, importers, and retailers end worker isolation at sea. Key demands include mandatory at-sea communication access such as Wi-Fi, strict enforcement of labor regulations, regular port returns, and alignment with international labor conventions.
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