Death and disposability of Indonesian migrant fishers at sea

Abstract This paper examines deaths of Indonesian migrant fishers on East Asian distant water fishing vessels through the lens of necropolitics. Drawing on a distinction between ‘active deaths’ and ‘slow deaths, we analyze 55 documented cases collected through collaboration with Serikat Buruh Migran Indonesia (SBMI). Our analysis reveals that fishing vessels can function as necropolitical zones where captains exercise sovereignty over crew survival through control of medical decisions, food distribution, and administrative classification of deaths. We document how spatial isolation at sea enables systematic disposability of migrant workers, with deaths occurring through direct violence, accidents and suicides (active deaths) and prolonged neglect leading to malnutrition and preventable illness (slow deaths). The study reveals critical gaps in governance: institutional failures in mandatory death reporting and investigation, and jurisdictional complexities that enable accountability evasion. We make recommendation for future research.