Making a complaint

Fishers · Know your rights

Speaking up is your right. There are safe ways to do it.

What you should get

• A way to settle disputes about your work agreement (C188, Art. 17).
• When a port country receives a complaint that a vessel does not meet C188, it may report to the flag country and act on conditions that are clearly hazardous to safety or health (C188, Art. 43).
• From 1 January 2028, under CMM 2024-04: if the flag country has reason to believe a crew member faces forced labour or mistreatment, the owner must act immediately to keep that person safe, report it, and allow safe disembarkation with any needed medical treatment at the owner's cost (para. 12).
• If you report forced labour or mistreatment to the port country after leaving the vessel, that country must notify the flag country and the WCPFC Secretariat in writing, and the flag country must investigate (CMM 2024-04, para. 13).

Check for

• Your agreement explains how to complain and where to get legal support (CMM 2024-04, Attachment 1 item 17)

What you can do

• Keep your evidence safe: photos of your contract, payslips, your hours notebook, dates and names.
• Talk to a union before you act, if you can. You do not have to do this alone.
• Read the lesson 'Raising a complaint safely' on the Learn page.

Sources: ILO C188, Art. 17 and 43 (NORMLEX) · WCPFC CMM 2024-04, paras. 12–15

This card is general information, not legal advice. Laws differ by country and by the vessel's flag. Information checked 2 October 2026. For help, see piowr.org/fishers and piowr.org/tools/find-help.

Pacific Institute of Workplace Relations · Fair Conditions At Work · piowr.org