Fishmeal fleets plunder seas, exploit workers

The international fishmeal industry is entangled with illegal fishing, environmental devastation, and severe human rights abuses. Many fishing vessels operate illegally, often targeting overexploited species and using destructive bottom trawling methods that decimate marine ecosystems. Investigations uncovered widespread violations, including fishing in closed or protected waters, exceeding quotas, and operating without licenses.

Workers on fishmeal ships endure horrific conditions, with accounts of confiscated passports, extended work hours, physical abuse, and even fatalities. In Peru, the world's largest producer, over a dozen deaths have been reported since 2019 due to toxic gases, falls, and equipment accidents. Similar issues of forced labor and dangerous working environments have been documented on Chinese and Russian vessels.

The industry's impact extends to coastal communities, particularly in West Africa, where the expansion of fishmeal operations has decimated local food security and traditional livelihoods. Millions rely on forage fish, which are now overexploited, leading to dwindling stocks and prompting many fishermen to undertake perilous migration journeys.

To evade monitoring, many vessels engage in illegal activities such as turning off transponders or falsifying their locations, a common practice off the coast of Mauritania. Governments in countries like Mauritania and Senegal have struggled to enforce regulations, with instances of activists being silenced and international warnings issued for insufficient cooperation against illegal fishing. The loss of livelihoods due to depleted fish stocks has become a major driver of migration to Europe.