Foreign fishermen who come to Taiwan primarily work and live along the coast and in the sea. They engage in ocean fishing, where their livelihoods depend on the weather. As long as the weather is suitable, the boat captains and foreign fishermen venture out to sea in search of fish, hoping for a bountiful catch. Although foreign fishermen are familiar with the ocean due to their work, their lifestyle rarely allows them to participate in leisure activities at sea. To address this, Rerum Novarum Center has planned water-based leisure activities for foreign fishermen, offering them the opportunity to experience novel activities and gain a deeper appreciation and understanding of the ocean in their seemingly familiar environment.
In collaboration with National Taiwan Ocean University, on September 9th, Rerum Novarum Center organized a water carnival event for foreign fishermen and their Taiwanese coworkers. This event allowed them to experience stand-up paddle (SUP) as a means to relax and alleviate the high-stress levels from their daily work.
The water carnival activities included raising awareness about marine environmental protection, understanding water activity safety, and experiences with activities like water slides, water trampolines, dragon boating, stand-up paddle (SUP), and kayaking. These activities provided foreign fishermen and their Taiwanese friends and family with the opportunity to engage in water activities they don't typically experience in their daily lives, allowing them to discover the joys of ocean leisure activities through rare and valuable experiences.
On the day of the event, the sun was shining brightly. Many foreign fishermen were out at sea working, but dozens who were yet to set sail or had just returned to the port attended the event with their friends and family. Participants included the spouses of foreign fishermen and their friends working in Taiwan. Additionally, foreign fishermen's recruitment agencies also brought the workers they serve to join the water carnival event. This added a different dimension of care and warmth to the daily interaction between agencies and fishermen. Through participating in ocean leisure activities, the event aimed to alleviate the hardships of their daily work.
At the start of the event, staff from National Taiwan Ocean University introduced the concept of not littering garbage into the sea, promoting environmental awareness and the importance of protecting the ocean. Supervisor Lee Jeng-Shin from Rerum Novarum Center was present to assist in translating the information for foreign fishermen and their friends and family. Supervisor Lee Jeng-Shin engaged in interactive conversations, asking foreign fishermen how they handle garbage and damaged fishing nets produced during their work at sea. The fishermen naturally responded that they collect and sort the garbage before disposing of it in designated bins at the port. Supervisor Lee Jeng-Shin humorously expressed doubt, suggesting that throwing the trash directly into the sea might be more convenient. However, the fishermen firmly replied that such actions would make the ocean dirtier, and the fish would become increasingly unhealthy. In response, Supervisor Lee Jeng-Shin applauded and commended their correct awareness and practices.
Subsequently, participants were taught how to properly wear life jackets, emphasizing that for any water activity, including their daily work on boats, wearing a life jacket is essential for basic safety, reducing the risk of injury in case of accidents. After confirming that everyone had correctly worn their life jackets, the staff and Rerum Novarum supervisor led everyone in warm-up exercises to relax their muscles and prevent cramps when entering the water. Once the warm-up exercises were completed, the main event of the day began: the water carnival activity of SUP.
National Taiwan Ocean University's water coach instructed everyone on how to operate and use dragon boat boards and kayaks. Supervisor Lee Jeng-Shin assisted by providing translations and explanations. Participants were divided into small groups to put what they learned into practice. With a mix of excitement and nervousness, they worked together to carry the dragon boat boards and kayaks into the water, followed the coach's instructions to board the vessels, and used paddles to move the boats away from the shore towards the sea. They cheered with joy, expressing their newfound experiences on their faces, leaving behind the stresses of their daily lives.
On the water, there were also water slides and water trampolines, allowing foreign fishermen and their friends and family to dock their boats at sea. They climbed onto the water slides and trampolines, experiencing different sensations. Particularly for foreign fishermen, it was a unique way to connect with the familiar sea in a different manner, providing them with an extraordinary experience in the environment they know so well.
For a long time, fishermen have been a group neglected by the outside world. Since 2017, Rerum Novarum Center has been reaching out to these brothers on the sea, providing not only care but also practical solutions to their difficulties, including regulations, wages, workplace accidents, medical care, changing employers, human trafficking, and more. We have gone deep into 24 fishing ports to resolve the challenges faced by foreign migrant fishermen. We have seen that due to language barriers, most fishermen are unaware of their rights and don't know how to seek help. They endure harsh working conditions, hard work, meager income, and are an unprotected group of people. We hope for your donation to deeply accompany them, allowing our service to take root and become guardians of foreign migrant fishermen. Please click “I want to donate" or call (02) 2397-1933 #122. Thank you for your response and concern!