Ocean video by Ruvim Miksanskiy/Pexels

Environmental Reporting Collective

Oceans Inc.

Oceans Inc.

A cross-border ERC investigation into crimes in the global fishing industry, from the South China Sea to the Antarctic.

An Environmental Crisis

Out on the high seas, a dark undercurrent of illegal and destructive activity has been running for decades.

Illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing – known in the industry as “IUU fishing” – has caused alarming destruction to marine environments, as well as horrific human rights abuses.

The Environmental Reporting Collective spent nearly a year investigating IUU fishing, with journalists from over a dozen newsrooms working together to expose these crimes.

Contributing newsrooms


China Dialogue
ERC
Initium
Mongabay
R.AGE
Rappler
Tansa
Tempo
The Reporter

Here are the stories they uncovered.

Antarctic
1

Fishers on the Frontlines

South China Sea

Fishing communities across the South China Sea are struggling as their countries battle against IUU fishing.

Krilling for Oil

Antarctic

Conservationists are sounding the alarm over the international race to exploit the Antarctic's krill swarms.

2

Worked to Death

Indonesia, South Korea, Japan, China

How a Chinese tuna juggernaut crushed its Indonesian workers.

3

Observational Hazards

China, Taiwan, Kiribati

A fishery observer's job is to monitor fishing vessels for illegal activity. But they keep disappearing at sea.

4

Transshipment

Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia

It might seem like a sensible logistics exercise, but in reality, transshipment enables destructive IUU fishing across the world.

5

RICH SEAS, POOR FISHERS

PHILIPPINES

The vast resources of the West Philippine Sea provide livelihood and food security, yet Filipino fishers who sail at these seas fend for themselves.

6