May 18, 2023 — The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) unanimously approved a declaration strengthening measures to protect migrant fishers at the 42nd ASEAN Summit in Labuan Bajo, Indonesia, on 10 May.
ASEAN is a political and economic compact that includes Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. It previously passed the ASEAN Convention against Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children (ACTIP), but that agreement did not specifically address migrant laborers in the fishing industry.