East Asia, boasting an overwhelming scale in both production and consumption, will lead the way in sustainable seafood for the future (Part 1)

Ocean Outcomes (O2), a US-based NGO, works to drive change in fisheries around the world. Since 2018, it has launched projects in East Asia and currently focuses its activities on Taiwan and South Korea. In January 2026, it partnered with Seafood Legacy, and is developing activities and collaborations toward a future where East Asia, which produces and consumes a large portion of the world's seafood, will take the lead in seafood sustainability. We spoke with Ho-Tu Chiang, a key person at the Taiwan branch.

Ho-Tu Chiang
After serving in the Taiwan Coast Guard, he joined O2 in 2023. He is responsible for planning, coordination, research, and technical support for fisheries improvement projects in Taiwan. He also collaborates with the Taiwan Fisheries Bureau, the Council of Agriculture, and other stakeholders, supporting the operation of fisheries-related conferences and workshops. He holds a degree in Marine Police from the Central Police University and a Master of Arts in International Criminology and Justice from the John Jay School of Criminal Justice, City University of New York.

From Coast Guard to NGO

—I understand your first job was with the Coast Guard. How did you become involved in the field of fisheries sustainability?

I entered the police academy at the age of 18 and became interested in coastal security. I wanted to do international work, and I've always loved going to the sea, so I was vaguely interested in everything related to the ocean. For the first two years of my job, I worked in the field of coastal security, where I was exposed to various fields, from searching for and rescuing shipwrecked people to cracking down on drug trafficking, and I became particularly interested in the issue of IUU fishing.

—So your interest stemmed from your experience working in the field?

After two years in the field, I was transferred to headquarters, where I interacted with administrative officials and realized I wanted to further enhance my professional skills. So, I received a scholarship and studied criminal justice at the City University of New York.

—How did your connection with O2 begin?

Collaboration with NGOs is not uncommon at American universities. That's how I first learned that there are various types of NGOs, and a career in NGOs began to come into my view. Shortly after returning to Japan, I received an offer from O2 to be interested in a program they were launching in Taiwan. I was strongly drawn to O2's vision and what they were trying to do in Asia.

Fishing vessels operating in the open ocean face human rights risks, particularly regarding the harsh working conditions of their crews. This issue has been gaining attention in Taiwan in recent years (Photo: Ocean Outcomes).

Helping companies become accustomed to collaborating with NGOs and other companies.

--O2 is very field-oriented and actively engages in activities that involve working directly with local fishing communities. Could you tell us about your activities in Taiwan?

O2 itself was established in 2015, so this year marks its 11th anniversary. From the very beginning, it has been involved with eco-labels such as MSC.Fisheries Improvement Project (FIP)We have prioritized sustainable seafood and have promoted it using market-driven tools. We started our Northeast Asia program around 2018. We focused on Japan and China because influential organizations were already active there, and Taiwan and South Korea were conducting large-scale deep-sea fishing.

Our activities in Asia are centered on three themes. First, social responsibility, which currently focuses on human rights issues. Second, environmental issues, such as bycatch and the conservation of marine resources. Third, economic issues. We address these issues by forming partnerships with the companies directly involved.

—What kind of hurdles did you encounter during your activities?

As we started our activities from scratch in Taiwan, the first hurdle was getting people to understand and accept NGOs like ours. Many companies had never collaborated with an NGO before, and we were sometimes mistaken for consulting firms or media companies.

And we always try to connect multiple players and work together. This is because multiple companies often face the same problems, and working together is often more efficient and successful. However, companies are used to competing with other companies and are not used to collaboration. Bringing people together and getting them to work together was the second hurdle.
In its activities in East Asia, O2 has adopted three themes: social responsibility, environmental sustainability, and economic development. To achieve these three themes in an integrated manner, O2 collaborates with local corporate partners. (Image: Ocean Outcomes)

The introduction of electronic monitoring, which forms the basis of objective data.

—So, communication and collaboration were the primary challenges, rather than what happened at sea?

Of course, there are many problems at sea. A major challenge is insufficient data. At O2, we often say, "No data, no management." However, it's not uncommon for data that we thought we had to be scientifically and objectively inadequate.

Regarding human rights, a particularly pressing issue in Taiwan in recent years, a major problem was the lack of data—that is, the facts. What was happening on deep-sea fishing vessels was especially difficult to see, and even when accidents occurred, there was no reliable information about the details of the scene or the cause. Ship owners were also completely clueless about what kind of data they needed and how to obtain it.

Therefore, we launched a pilot project to introduce electronic monitoring to the field, provided training, and introduced several providers of electronic monitoring systems. This is because having multiple providers fosters a healthy ecosystem. We then had them try out the systems in the field and shared the results.

Ho-Tu Chiang assists in the installation of electronic monitoring equipment on a Taiwanese tuna longline fishing vessel (Photo: Ocean Outcomes)

We are sharing this process with government agencies and interested companies, and we are also supporting the training of personnel who can perform video analysis and interpretation of electronic monitoring data. It is still a work in progress, but we plan to compile a report summarizing the progress made over the past two years in the latter half of this year.

Although it was just a pilot project, many people were surprised to see the videos from the field, and this has sparked discussions within companies about improving safety on board and enhancing the quality of the fish. It wasn't what we originally intended, so it's a kind of side effect, but it's a positive reaction.

—So, the pilot project involves fisheries companies, fishermen, government agencies, universities, and others, is that correct?

That's right. There is certainly a demand for electronic monitoring from the market, but for now we are focusing on voluntary activities to show people how it actually works. This is also a way to lay the groundwork so that people can adopt it with confidence in the future. This is because Taiwan has 800-900 deep-sea fishing vessels, just for tuna longline fishing. Even just 1% of that, or 80 vessels, would generate a huge amount of data, and it takes preparation to handle it.

—I see, so a warm-up period is necessary.

Companies want to use data as a springboard to better understand and respond to customer needs and gain market share. On the other hand, governments seek data to help with legal development and enforcement, but they also have concerns about the sudden influx of large amounts of data. If too many problems are discovered all at once, it could increase the burden on enforcement and potentially lead to an outpouring of dissatisfaction from those on the ground.

The technology itself is still new and needs improvement. Especially for equipment used at sea, it must be as simple, error-free, and user-friendly as possible.

Ho-Tu Chiang (second from the left) says that the introduction of electronic monitoring will bring long-term benefits to Taiwan's tuna fisheries (Photo: Ocean Outcomes).

From "problem identification" to the stage of understanding and solving.

—This suggests that human rights due diligence (HRDD) has become a significant issue.

Human rights issues in the fishing industry have become an increasingly hot topic in recent years. This involves a complex structure encompassing crew members, recruitment agencies, captains, shipowners, government agencies, and regulatory bodies, with regulatory bodies often spanning two countries.

In the past, some companies have undergone social responsibility audits, but these often only identified problems without changing the situation. Therefore, we are considering providing technical services centered on the process of solving problems. This involves taking into account the business environment of the stakeholders involved, deeply understanding the points where problems are likely to occur, and the subtle dynamics that arise among multiple buyers.

Nevertheless, I feel that more people are becoming open about HRDD in recent years. For example, in Taiwan, it is the shipowner's responsibility to hire crew members for their fishing boats. The fishing companies that are their clients have no idea what is happening on board or how the crew is actually being recruited. However, recently, there has been a growing awareness of the risks involved, and it has become common practice to check, for example, whether illegally high recruitment fees are being charged or whether the crew members are being burdened with debt. It is not yet the majority, but change is happening.

O2 emphasizes collaboration with local government, industry, and civil society, paying particular attention to the voices of the crew members who are the stakeholders on board. The photo shows partners and O2 staff gathered on board, with Ho-Tu Chiang at the top right (Photo by One-Forty).

Part2Now, let's hear about the sustainable seafood-related activities planned for East Asia in 2026, their goals, and a solid commitment to sustainability that respects Asian culture.

Interviewed and written by: Keiko Ihara
He was in charge of design research and concept studies at a general design office until 2002. Since 2008, he has been involved in design research at infield design, and also works as a freelance writer and translator of design-related articles.