AIT Soliciting Technological Proposals to Promote Fishermen's Rights NCKU Team Won R&D Grants-國立成功大學永續發展SDGs

In order to make Taiwan and the global fishery develop more sustainably, AIT, Fisheries Agency, Institute for Information Industry, and Microsoft Taiwan have collaborated to solicit technological proposals to promote fishermen’s rights. On 13th, AIT announced on Facebook that the Department of System and Naval Mechatronic Engineering, NCKU, as well as Advanced Computation Laboratory from NTOU and Phase Tech CO., LTD. were selected.

According to AIT, both teams have received NT$800,000 in R&D grants. Furthermore, it said that "these innovative technological solutions will help reduce the risk of forced labor for foreign and vulnerable crew members and simplify operational procedures for the prevention and reporting of marine emergencies." AIT also stressed that it looks forward to keeping the collaboration with Taiwan to protect and promote human rights of foreign deep-sea-fishing crew members.

For this solicitation activity, AIT and Fisheries Agency held three seminars in November 2021, January 2022, and March 2022 in Keelung, Kaohsiung and Taipei, respectively. The final seminar held in Taipei, in particular, invited experts, scholars, and technology companies to  share technologically-feasible solutions for safeguarding the labor rights of fishermen. AIT deputy director Jeremy Cornforth said at the time that grants would be provided to achieve the goal of making the fishery sustainable.
 
The project jointly proposed by The Advanced Computation Laboratory (ACL) from National Taiwan Ocean University's Department of Computer Science and Engineering and Phase Tech Co., Ltd. and the project proposed by National Cheng Kung University's Department of Systems and Naval Mechatronic Engineering were all selected and received grants.
 
AIT announced on Facebook:
 
AIT is excited to announce the two winners of our recent call for tech solutions, who will each receive NT$800,000 to develop technology-enabled solutions that protect migrant fishermen’s labor rights in Taiwan.
Congratulations to the winners!
 
The Advanced Computation Laboratory (ACL) from National Taiwan Ocean University’s Department of Computer Science and Engineering and Phase Tech Co., Ltd.
 
National Cheng Kung University’s Department of Systems and Naval Mechatronic Engineering 
 
This program is co-sponsored by AIT and Taiwan’s Fisheries Agency and aims to facilitate innovative solutions that will help reduce the risks of forced labor for foreign and vulnerable crew members in Taiwan’s distant-waters fishing industry while streamlining procedures for marine emergency prevention and response.  
 
AIT looks forward to our continued partnership with Taiwan to protect and enhance labor rights!